There are two Tuckahoes in the State of New York. There’s one in the Town of Southampton. This is not the one that held its annual “Challenge” today.
No, that was Tuckahoe in Westchester County. It was also where I grew up — I was known as “Tuckahoe Joe” in high school — and holds one of my favorite local races each year. This was I think the fourth time I’ve done it.
The concept is simple: run a mile at 9 and a five mile at 9:30. In addition to awards in the individual races, there are combined.
I was concerned. My left hip has been bothering me off-and-on for a while, as has my left thigh (not specific enough to be the hamstring). And it bugged me as I warmed up. I figured I’d give it a shot. In the event it would not be a problem.
Because there are two races, I decided to wear two singlets. I happened upon my old Iona Prep singlet from my senior year there. It’s red, white, and blue — the school colors are maroon and gold — with my name on the back. There were probably only 15 of them made; just seniors in the Class of 1974 had them. So I took out this 35+ year old “throwback” and headed to the start.
Given my name on the back, someone approached me and asked if I was the guy who posted on LetsRun. Of course I am, never having posted anything (there or elsewhere) without my name (or “RunWestchester”). I chatted with him briefly, describing the course. A couple of other guys said hello; they are NYAC guys who I had met long ago who were just running through on their long run, having run yesterday’s NYRR club race (a four-miler I decided to skip in favor of this race).
Horn goes and loads of folks take off. I view the one-miler as a good warm-up. But it felt pretty hard. Out 1/2 a mile and back. I tried to run smoothly and cruised it, in an unimpressive time slightly under 6. They guy ahead: Vibram Five Fingers.
After the race I came upon Frank Colella, with whom I chatted after the Irvington 5K, happened by. I knew he ran the Norwalk (CT) HM yesterday, but he runs lots of races, so I wasn’t surprised that he was running today. He wasn’t; he just came down to watch the race. He also took pictures, including the ones here..
After a brief discussion of further goings on at the Rockies — he would later direct me to an article in the local paper on it — I ran to change singlets. Pretty quickly the five-miler was on. After the first turn, I was in third. The guy from LetsRun — he insists that he only posts there infrequently and is not an “a-hole” about it — was gone. He is Declan Foley, and he would run the race alone. (He finished a place ahead of me at the Rockies 10K.) Due to some inadequate policing early, he almost missed a turn, but I shouted “LEFT” and he was OK. But I was pissed, and probably got over-excited about it, which didn’t help my race. The Eastchester Police would provide a lead car from about 2.5, so he was fine from then, although well out of sight. (The race briefly leaves Tuckahoe and goes through Eastchester.)
I came through the first mile in about 5:58 and felt horrible. Just nothing. I had moved into second and was pushing it. I stopped when I got to mile 2. No one passed so I started up again. A sharp, but short, hill and another quick stop. About 5 seconds. Just feeling horrible. Keep it going, without particular regard for the time. Stop a third and final time at 3.5, then push.
I passed the homes of two of my Iona classmates, Jimmy Lawler (who died in an accident in Alaska when he was in the army) and Mick Materra, who I haven’t seen in a very long time.
Down a short hill, hit four miles, and just push it home. Measuring myself to landmarks. “There’s Crestwood, just over half to go.” Stuff like that. I am hurting but feeling fairly smooth. I finish in about 30:40. Very disappointing time.
So the assessment: Unlike my last race, I can’t plead that I have done no speedwork. But I shouldn’t feel as dead as I did running 6 minute miles. Now I think in addition to the speedwork, I need to get more miles in. As a result of my aching left leg, off-and-on, I’ve not gotten anything longer than 8 miles in over a month. That has to change.
It could, of course, be that I’m getting slower, that I’ve hit one of those drops that aging provides. But I won’t know that unless I’m satisfied that I’ve given it my all.
Still, it was fun. Second place overall. Two minutes back.
11 comments
Comments feed for this article
September 13, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Coach Adam
Nice run, Joe. 2nd overall is still quite an accomplishment.
September 13, 2009 at 8:32 pm
NY Wolve
Nice race! I thought of doing it, but just couldn’t motivate this morning. After reading your post, I’ll make more of an effort next year. The race goea right through my running area, so I figured I would know some of the roads, too. But a late Saturday night..did me in. And I knew if you were there you would run right by me. What a great morning to race also!
September 14, 2009 at 6:21 am
Flo
Great report, Joe, really loved it, down to the old schoolmates houses you passed. Fun too, about meeting the LetsRun guy.
Now please, don’t you dare start ascribing speed loss to age when your leg’s been wonky for over a month, so be realistic about the situation and just get back to normal soon. Wish I could take home 2nd overall for a race I felt sucky in. 🙂 Great job!
September 15, 2009 at 1:32 am
Ewen
I enjoyed that Joe. There’s something about racing in the old hometown. I bet many of your classmates from that era wouldn’t even fit into their singlets!
I’m inclined to think the poor result is a training related thing, rather than one of those age related drops. And yes, probably the aerobic miles not in balance with the speedwork. When you’ve done 3 months of perfect training and then race like Moorcroft in the ’84 5000, then (unlike Moorcroft) you can say it might be age!
September 15, 2009 at 4:38 pm
joegarland
Thanks everyone. I’m beginning to get fed up with this leg/hip/butt ache.
Moorcroft:
September 16, 2009 at 1:09 am
Ewen
Thanks for the Moorcroft link Joe – I hadn’t seen that. I remember when watching the final the commentator Bruce McAvaney saying something like “Moorcroft’s gone!”
I can’t remember anything being made of his injury hampered preparation. To me it looks like he was good for one race (the semi), which seems to have flared up the injury. If he hadn’t had to run a semi and the final was a slow race, he would have been in the mix until the last lap, not 350m behind.
Very interesting about his philosophy of never dropping out of a race (If you can’t drop out, you haven’t got that option). I know Steve Moneghetti had that same philosophy, and he also had Moorcroft’s habit of never looking back (if you looked back in a race, it was a sign of weakness).
September 16, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Robert
That sounds like a great race. I love the idea of the two different distances back to back. Hope you get back the speed you’re looking for (although 2nd overall is not too shabby, I must say…)
October 13, 2009 at 8:16 pm
This Date In History: October 14 « RunWestchester
[…] on the trail since. Another junior always on the varsity was Jimmy Lawlor, who I mentioned in my Tuckahoe Challenge report. Then we had Sean McGillicuddy and Bob Quinn, also juniors at the […]
October 19, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Three Twos (a race report) « RunWestchester
[…] he ran the Steiner 5K at VCP earlier and was taking it easy with his daughter. (Frank was also at Tuckahoe, as a spectator, and Irvington. He runs like a zillion […]
January 1, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Talking To Myself « RunWestchester
[…] you were great shakes there in 09. I’m surprised you’ve already finished given how ‘fast’ you […]
August 28, 2011 at 3:47 pm
And? « RunWestchester
[…] leaves me . . .? The next race will be in two weeks. The Tuckahoe Challenge. A one-mile and a five-mile. My hometown, and one of my […]