We signed up for the Thousand Island races at the end of January, months before the events’ May 30 start date and weeks before COVID played havoc with the racing schedule. In April, during the worst of the pandemic, the organizers opted to shift the event to August 22. The three month delay allowed organizer to develop strategies to run in-person events that, in concert with New York’s reopening, allowed the event to run this past weekend.
I didn’t have high expectations for this race. The running gods haven’t favored me in the four weeks since I set my 5K personal record at Montezuma. My left knee is still sore; I’ve cut my mileage roughly in half and started wearing a knee sleeve which helps. I suspect I’m favoring my knee ever so slightly, which possibly explains the tightness and soreness in my right hip and outer knee. I’ve had to cut a couple of runs short after I started to limp.
I’m definitely in need of a break from running, which I’ll take after the Helderberg half marathon this coming weekend.
Making matter infinitely worse was the unwelcome news that Bella, our playful, sweet-natured seven-year old tabby, probably has cancer. The vet delivered the news shortly before we left for Alexandria Bay.
This year is full of unpleasant surprises.
Traci and I picked up our bibs and hoodies at the Bonnie Castle and headed back to Watertown. Neither of us slept well that night.
I couldn’t stay in bed past 6, but I was exhausted and had a headache for some time after I got up. This didn’t bode well for the 6.2 mile effort ahead.
As with Montezuma, Willow Running, the organizers, divided the fields into groups of 50 or fewer, separated by 15 minute intervals. I was in the second of the two 10K groups scheduled for Saturday morning, while Traci was in the first 5K group. A large contingent of runners from our Fleet Feet endurance training group entered the half marathon, the largest draw with multiple waves of runners.
My wave was small—under 20. I lined up in the back of the group as I wasn’t sure what kind of pace I could maintain and didn’t want to turn into a mobile chicane. My worst fear was the my right knee would become unbearably painful as it had on a couple of occasions, forcing me to walk or drop out, and this was on my mind as we started.
Gasping like a carp at the finish line.
One runner moved away from the group rather quickly after the start. The rest of us stayed in a tight pack on the initial portion of the course, a narrow gravel path through a golf course. I felt comfortable and began picking my way through the group.
We reached asphalt and the first climb shortly afterwards. Climbs aren’t friendly to my sore knee, but descents are even worse and I took it easy on the other side of the hill.
My best 10K time was around 55 minutes at an 8:55 pace, set on a nearly flat course on a cool day. I was slightly under that after the first mile, but I felt good at this point and set off after the leader.
To no avail. He gradually faded off into the distance, leaving me in no-man’s land with no one to motivate me. My left knee was a little tender, and I could feel my the outside of my right knee tightening up, but I still felt pretty good, and as the miles ticked on, I was confident that I could finish the race in under an hour.
I saw several of my teammates who had chosen to run the half marathon course; the 10K and half marathon routes ran in opposite directions at points and it was good to see other runners on the course, even in passing.
It was difficult to maintain a steady pace, but the upshot is that I had plenty of energy left for the final climb and a sprint down a striking, tree-lined road to the finish. I finished with a time of exactly 57 minutes.
I might have bettered this in May, but given the humidity, a pair of short but steep climbs, and my concern about exacerbating my knee injury, I was pleased with the outcome. I finished second in my wave and 19th our of the 71 finishers, who were spread out over four waves with a few virtual participants thrown in. The man who slipped away at the beginning of the race won my age group; I was a couple of minutes back and in no position to chase him down.
The Fleet Feet gang came away with two age group wins (Breanne took the women’s 25-29 category and Cherise, our endurance coach, won the 35-39 age group. Kali and Emily, two runners who started around the time I did last year, had solid races; Emily set a PR, and Kali, who was running in her first half marathon, finished well under 1:50, a stellar time for a first half marathon.
Our post-race repast included a choice of wraps, chips, donuts, water, beer (in spite of my Dutch and English ancestry, I don’t partake), and energy drinks. Participants received a shirt with a hood, and finishers earned the colorful medal pictured above.
Willow Running hosted yet another fine event in these trying times; I look forward to returning for another 10K or half marathon after my break.
I only wish this event wasn’t overshadowed by Bella’s impending surgery.
Location: Wellesly Island, NY
Website: Willow Running
Cost: $45
Swag: Hooded shirt, medal, post race food
Events: Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Field (including virtual): 5K: 107; 10K: 71; Half Marathon: 171. Fields were divided into waves of 50 and start times were spread over two days.
Result: 19/71@57.01; 9:06; 2/3
Shoe: Cavu 2
