TBD Track and Field: A Closest to the Pin Running Race
2020 has been the year of finding alternative motivation to stay in shape. In the Spring we tackled the multi-month challenge of #EveryZwiftRouteTBD. As summer was winding down and bike racing remained on hold we shifted gears to TBD Run Club. First we tackled the 5K distance. Then a few weekends ago we returned to the track for 1 mile effort, followed by a 4 x 400 relay that came down to the anchor leg.
We took those foot races semi-seriously. There were training plans, Scott brought out a pacer for his 1 mile effort, and Russell even threw down a $100 bet on a head to head race against Daghan. But after some near vomit inducing efforts we decided to change things up for our Turkey Trot with a ‘closest to the pin’ running race in Central Park.
The premise was simple:
Pick a distance in advance. We choose the ~1.5 mile Bridle Path Loop around the the Reservoir in Central Park.
Pick a pace in advance. After two max effort running races, we wanted something very much on the casual side and went with a 9:00 min/mi pace.
Calculate the targeted finish time. For our course and pace this precisely was 15 minutes and 7 seconds.
Everyone starts together and the runner that finishes closest to the targeted finish time is the winner - not the fastest finisher. And no Price is Right rules, this is purely closest to the pin.
No looking at watches, phones, or any other pacing assistance throughout the race.
How did our race play out? Everyone stuck to a similar pace for the first mile, at which point Lucia decided we were behind the targeted time and set off alone off the front. We let her go 15 seconds up the road, and then in the finish stretch I paced to finish just ahead of the rest, hoping that the targeted time was somewhere between Lucia and I.
Turns out were were all wrong. Perhaps buoyed by conversation along the way, we all finished a solid 30 seconds ahead of our targeted pace. This made Lisa, who wisely inched her way off the back of the group in the final stretch, our official 2020 Closest to the Pin Turkey Trot Champion.
The Full Gallery
A New York City based cyclist and sometimes photographer. Part adventure rider, part crit racer, and fully obsessed with an English bulldog named Winifred.
Instagram: @photorhetoric
E-mail: matthew@tobedetermined.cc
