And now for the skinny........

I know that my previous account was not really a race report, as there were no stats etc.  I realized this, and when Cristina emailed me asking how I felt, what it was like etc., I thought I would give you all the skinny on it.
I had been feeling pretty lousy all of last week with a strep throat infection.  That combined with a stomach virus left me feeling depleted of energy and under the weather.  I took no end of herbal remedies because I did not want to take any antibiotics before my event.  They must have been slightly efficacious because I did feel a lot better by Sunday.  I did my last stairclimb on Monday, and I could feel my chest was still tight.  Tuesday morning I felt ok, but tired after a sleepless night.  It is no joke driving down to NY in bad weather, and everything was such a rush.  We left at around 4pm, after I had done a full day's work. Got to NY at around 8:30, had dinner and straight to bed. 
Perhaps my previous race report lacked a certain sense of excitement, and this is true.  Quite honestly I felt a little disappointed in my performance.  I wanted to do better, but did find the stairs slightly challenging at the ESB.  In the end I think the real reason as to why it turned out so differently, is because this is the result of last year's non-training.  Certainly 3 months are not enough to get back into tip top shape.  It has taken me at least a year to lose all my fitness, and I guess it will take at least a year to build it back up again.  But one always hopes to do a good job, and when it is a so-so job, it is a bit disappointing.  However, I can say that I trained for this, and did it to the best of my ability of the moment.
The fastest woman in my wave did it in 16:06, the fasted guy in 13:38.  I did it in 31:03.  I have decided though, that I will go back next year and improve my time.  This time I will take a few days off, and be more in the moment.
I also did my second stair climb on Saturday, at the Mellon Financial Centre.  This is my annual event which raises money for the American Lung Association.  I ran up 82 floors, 786 stairs and my time was 12:00. 
Two years ago I did it in 10:29, but I was also very fit then.  I am pleased with my time, though what shocked me is just how unfit i have become.  Well, the stairs are going to be a fixture in my training this year, as I am determined to reacquire my previous fitness and then some.  Report and pics for Saturday's race will follow shortly.