Pace Perspective – The Nike+ Human Race 10K
For the past few months, there was a lot of talk about the Nike+ Human Race on Randall's Island. As a pacer for RUN NYC, I have had the luxury to pace some of the most dedicated runners in New York City while helping them accomplish set goals in such races as the NYC Half-Marathon presented by NIKE.
When the opportunity to pace the world's largest race presented itself, I immediately threw my name into the mix. Needless to say, I did not want to miss out on what would turn out to be an amazing event.
Here is my recap of 8.31.2008
3:00pm - Having walked from my apartment to the ferry on 34th Street and the East River, I found myself overly excited. My excitement might have been caused by the sheer fact that I rarely ride on the ferry or that the race was being held on Randall's Island - far removed from the typical races held in Central Park. I finally attributed my excitement to the overall concept of participating in a race that not only featured 26 cities worldwide, but also had a charitable component tied to the event. Running for such worthy causes as the WWF, Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the UN Refugee Agency made my decision very simple. Upon boarding the ferry, I was greeted by two of my fellow pacers - Lauren and Ricky - and together we were off to Randall's Island.
3:30pm - As the ferry neared Randall's Island, we saw that the entire pathway looping around the island was covered in red with signs highlighting the Human Race, the three charities, and NIKE's tagline ‘Just Do It'. As the ferry docked, the sound of beating drums filled the walkway (a few guys were seated off to the right of the dock playing music) greeting the already 300+ runners gathered. As I made my way around the soccer field, I could see the staging area that would soon hold 10,000+ participants and feature The All-American Rejects in a post-race concert. Entering the information area where the NIKE mobile van was stationed, I found a few familiar faces and entered Icahn Stadium to meet up with the rest of my fellow pacers.
4:00pm - Now stationed in a waiting area, I greeted each pacer and picked up my running shirt. Based on the time pressed onto my shirt, I was given the 6:30 pace group with an estimated finishing time of 40:23. From speaking with all of the pacers, it appeared that I was given one of the front pace groups. The way the evening was shaping up, there was going to be a wide range of running talent and NIKE wisely prepared to help pace all of these groups. With more than 12 pacers on staff, the pace ranged from 6 minutes to 11 minutes.
5:00pm - After plenty of time to prepare (i.e. stretch, listen to pre-race instructions, and greet some of the runners), we were off to line up at our respected pace time. As I took the long walk, passing each time corral, I noticed many RUN NYC members and wished them luck. Finally, reaching my 6:30 corral, I began talking to a number of local runners and assured them that if they wanted to run a 6:30 pace, I would help them hit that goal. As time ticked closer to the start, the runners seemed relaxed and there was an obvious sense of enthusiasm. Joking around with of the runners, we began to do a quick pre-stretch routine as we waited for the race to start.
6:00pm - Being close to the front of the start certainly had its advantages. Prior to the official start, Lopez Lomong and Nate Robinson greeted the crowd and shared a few words of encouragement. Many of the runners began asking for autographs and Lopez and Nate were happy to oblige. It was great to see Lopez and Nate talking with everyone and happily answering questions. With the announcer for the race informing the runners that the roadway was cleared, everyone returned to their corral and took the remaining moments to focus on the 10K ahead.
6:23pm - The horn sounded and the race began. Spirits were high as my group crossed the starting line. Taking the lead, a large group of runners fell behind me making sure not to go out to fast. As we approached the first 800 meters, the question of pace began to be asked. It seemed that everyone wanted to know our exact pace, making sure that I was keeping to my word about setting a steady pace and ensuring that we all crossed the line at roughly 6:30 pace. I continued to reassure each runner that we were doing fine and that I would let them know the exact pace once we reach the first mile marker. After passing the first water station, we neared the first mile. As I looked down at my watch, I knew we were exactly where we should be - mile 1 completed in 6:30.
6:30pm - The runners went wild. Screaming out the pace as each runner crossed the first mile, we settled into the pace and began passing a few runners ahead of us. When we hit the designed area for spectators, the crowd really helped push the runners along. Looking around at my faithful group, I checked in and made sure each runner was feeling okay and that they were able to maintain this pace throughout the rest of the course. Of course, the only response I heard was to keep it up and help them break 40 minutes. Since my job as a pacer was to help runners accomplish set goals, I took the group and set out to meet that goal. Rounding Randall's Island, a beautiful layout for running, we began to see some of the runners that began near the back of the corrals. Wishing everyone good luck and receiving encouraging words as we passed, my group began to make its way through the second loop.
6:50pm - Now in our second loop, the course was laid out in a way that ensured that the front runners had easy access to pass on the right. This separation allowed my group to remain on pace and really take advantage of the open area. As we once again came through the spectator area, the crowd was really into the race, cheering for everyone. A few spectators began calling at my pace group so I felt that running near them, slapping high fives was the appropriate move. As we moved into the last mile, I looked back to see the same group of runners that started with me. These guys were really sticking close. Many of them began to drift off from me while others looked just to maintain moving forward. For the few runners that looked fresh, I suggested to them to pick up the pace and that sub-40 minutes would be within reach. Many thanked me and started their kick. For the rest of the group, I reassured them that we were making our goal. As we made the finally turn into Icahn Stadium, the crowd in the stands went wild. I must admit; it was overwhelming. As we crossed the line with hands raised, I looked down at my watch to see our finishing time: 40:20!
7:05pm - My pacing experience now complete, I stood around for a few minutes, congratulating everyone as they crossed the line. I began to make my way to the bag check area and received a number of compliments. Seeing so many runners stick with me and really enjoy themselves made the entire experience awesome. As I retrieved my bag, I met up with the rest of the pacing team, shared our experiences and a lot of laughs. We all agreed that the entire day was a huge success. As we made our way through the crowd, the job was over, but the evening was just beginning. We still had the post-race concert - The All-American Rejects!
When the opportunity to pace the world's largest race presented itself, I immediately threw my name into the mix. Needless to say, I did not want to miss out on what would turn out to be an amazing event.
Here is my recap of 8.31.2008
3:00pm - Having walked from my apartment to the ferry on 34th Street and the East River, I found myself overly excited. My excitement might have been caused by the sheer fact that I rarely ride on the ferry or that the race was being held on Randall's Island - far removed from the typical races held in Central Park. I finally attributed my excitement to the overall concept of participating in a race that not only featured 26 cities worldwide, but also had a charitable component tied to the event. Running for such worthy causes as the WWF, Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the UN Refugee Agency made my decision very simple. Upon boarding the ferry, I was greeted by two of my fellow pacers - Lauren and Ricky - and together we were off to Randall's Island.
3:30pm - As the ferry neared Randall's Island, we saw that the entire pathway looping around the island was covered in red with signs highlighting the Human Race, the three charities, and NIKE's tagline ‘Just Do It'. As the ferry docked, the sound of beating drums filled the walkway (a few guys were seated off to the right of the dock playing music) greeting the already 300+ runners gathered. As I made my way around the soccer field, I could see the staging area that would soon hold 10,000+ participants and feature The All-American Rejects in a post-race concert. Entering the information area where the NIKE mobile van was stationed, I found a few familiar faces and entered Icahn Stadium to meet up with the rest of my fellow pacers.
4:00pm - Now stationed in a waiting area, I greeted each pacer and picked up my running shirt. Based on the time pressed onto my shirt, I was given the 6:30 pace group with an estimated finishing time of 40:23. From speaking with all of the pacers, it appeared that I was given one of the front pace groups. The way the evening was shaping up, there was going to be a wide range of running talent and NIKE wisely prepared to help pace all of these groups. With more than 12 pacers on staff, the pace ranged from 6 minutes to 11 minutes.
5:00pm - After plenty of time to prepare (i.e. stretch, listen to pre-race instructions, and greet some of the runners), we were off to line up at our respected pace time. As I took the long walk, passing each time corral, I noticed many RUN NYC members and wished them luck. Finally, reaching my 6:30 corral, I began talking to a number of local runners and assured them that if they wanted to run a 6:30 pace, I would help them hit that goal. As time ticked closer to the start, the runners seemed relaxed and there was an obvious sense of enthusiasm. Joking around with of the runners, we began to do a quick pre-stretch routine as we waited for the race to start.
6:00pm - Being close to the front of the start certainly had its advantages. Prior to the official start, Lopez Lomong and Nate Robinson greeted the crowd and shared a few words of encouragement. Many of the runners began asking for autographs and Lopez and Nate were happy to oblige. It was great to see Lopez and Nate talking with everyone and happily answering questions. With the announcer for the race informing the runners that the roadway was cleared, everyone returned to their corral and took the remaining moments to focus on the 10K ahead.
6:23pm - The horn sounded and the race began. Spirits were high as my group crossed the starting line. Taking the lead, a large group of runners fell behind me making sure not to go out to fast. As we approached the first 800 meters, the question of pace began to be asked. It seemed that everyone wanted to know our exact pace, making sure that I was keeping to my word about setting a steady pace and ensuring that we all crossed the line at roughly 6:30 pace. I continued to reassure each runner that we were doing fine and that I would let them know the exact pace once we reach the first mile marker. After passing the first water station, we neared the first mile. As I looked down at my watch, I knew we were exactly where we should be - mile 1 completed in 6:30.
6:30pm - The runners went wild. Screaming out the pace as each runner crossed the first mile, we settled into the pace and began passing a few runners ahead of us. When we hit the designed area for spectators, the crowd really helped push the runners along. Looking around at my faithful group, I checked in and made sure each runner was feeling okay and that they were able to maintain this pace throughout the rest of the course. Of course, the only response I heard was to keep it up and help them break 40 minutes. Since my job as a pacer was to help runners accomplish set goals, I took the group and set out to meet that goal. Rounding Randall's Island, a beautiful layout for running, we began to see some of the runners that began near the back of the corrals. Wishing everyone good luck and receiving encouraging words as we passed, my group began to make its way through the second loop.
6:50pm - Now in our second loop, the course was laid out in a way that ensured that the front runners had easy access to pass on the right. This separation allowed my group to remain on pace and really take advantage of the open area. As we once again came through the spectator area, the crowd was really into the race, cheering for everyone. A few spectators began calling at my pace group so I felt that running near them, slapping high fives was the appropriate move. As we moved into the last mile, I looked back to see the same group of runners that started with me. These guys were really sticking close. Many of them began to drift off from me while others looked just to maintain moving forward. For the few runners that looked fresh, I suggested to them to pick up the pace and that sub-40 minutes would be within reach. Many thanked me and started their kick. For the rest of the group, I reassured them that we were making our goal. As we made the finally turn into Icahn Stadium, the crowd in the stands went wild. I must admit; it was overwhelming. As we crossed the line with hands raised, I looked down at my watch to see our finishing time: 40:20!
7:05pm - My pacing experience now complete, I stood around for a few minutes, congratulating everyone as they crossed the line. I began to make my way to the bag check area and received a number of compliments. Seeing so many runners stick with me and really enjoy themselves made the entire experience awesome. As I retrieved my bag, I met up with the rest of the pacing team, shared our experiences and a lot of laughs. We all agreed that the entire day was a huge success. As we made our way through the crowd, the job was over, but the evening was just beginning. We still had the post-race concert - The All-American Rejects!
