RnR USA Half Marathon Recap

This past weekend I ran my fifth half marathon. And it was awesome.

I started training for this race only seven weeks ago, after I took a month off from running due to a(nother) tibial stress fracture. I ran only three to four times per week (my max, after getting a stress fracture from running five times a week when training for the NYC Marathon!), and did P90X five or six days a week.

I didn't expect much from this race. I mostly followed my training plan (a mix of Hal Higdon and Runner's World's SmartCoach), but I missed a couple runs (including one long run!), caught a cold, started a new job, and was coming back from an injury. I decided it would be a "fun run," one I'd run at least part of the way with my friend Christina (whom I had convinced to sign up as well...we had both originally signed up for the FULL marathon, by the way...), and one I just wanted to get under 2:06 (the time I achieved for my first THREE half marathons...at least I'm consistent?).

Signs of spring on my last long run before the half!

Going into this race, I was feeling pretty chill. I didn't study every single detail of the course ahead of time. I didn't bring my own bagel to Christina's apartment. I didn't fall asleep with nervous butterflies in my stomach. I didn't even Google how to get from Christina's to RFK. In fact, I ate a giant burger and fries for lunch the day before the race, and a PB&J and banana served as dinner the night before. I didn't sleep enough (blame DC2NY for a late bus).

I was definitely winging it...and I actually think that might have helped me, in some way. I didn't have any expectations, there was no pressure. Once I got to the start though, a few little butterflies kicked in. The good kind though, the kind that makes me feel excited and a bit of adrenaline needed to get through that first mile, the kind that builds as you run mile after mile and propels you to the finish. It was just what I needed, right when I needed it.

If I'd run this whole race feeling kind of "meh" and unexcited the whole time, there's no way I would have made it through the entire race. I would have given up, said it didn't matter, and taken it easy the whole way. But luckily, that's not me. Don't get me wrong - I wasn't excited and having tons of fun the whole entire time...the first half was very tough for me. I thought about dropping out, about taking it easy, about giving up. But as soon as a turned on my iPod halfway through the race, I knew I was in it for the long haul and that I'd run the crap outta that race. Especially when a Girl Talk song (Oh No) came on and said, "Move bitch, get out the way, get out the way bitch, get out the way..." Yup. THAT really got my butt in gear.

You can actually tell from my splits - check out mile 11 - the moment when I realized that a PR was in reach was at mile 10. I hit the 10 mile marker at 1:30, and realized that even if I ran just under 10-minute miles, I could STILL get under two hours.

Half marathon splits

That revelation at mile 10 led me to an 8:09 minute mile in mile 11. Yeah, mile 12 is almost a minute slower (can I blame a hill there? Not sure...), but you can actually SEE when I realized that I could beat my PR of 1:58:59 (when I ran the Staten Island Half).

And PR I did. I crossed the finish line in 1:57:44, 1 minute and 15 seconds faster than my previous PR. It wasn't a goal I had in mind. I just realized it was possible, dug deep, and made it happen. (If only it were always that easy...) Every time I hit a hill, instead of cursing it, I thanked Central Park for preparing my legs. Every time I wanted to walk, I decided to run faster instead. I pushed myself. 

RnR recorded a few times along the way:

• 5k: 28:37 (9:14 pace)
• 10k: 56:31 (9:07 pace)
• 10 mi: 1:30:19 (9:02 pace)
• 13.1 mi: 1:57:44 (8:59 pace)

Was it the fastest I could have possibly gone? Probably not. But I got faster as it went on. And I am so incredibly proud of myself for running this race the way that I did, going into it with no pressure and shattering expectations I didn't even know could be there. I completely surprised myself.

And I walked away with a PR. Not to mention a banana, bagel, apple, yogurt, Snickers Marathon bars, chocolate milk (the very first thing I had to drink after the race - so good!), fruit bites, water, Gu, Gatorade and a heat sheet. Plus, a pretty sweet little medal:

First RnR race medal!

It was a great race, and I'm so glad that I did it. I'm even happier that I ran a race that I'm proud of, PR or no PR. I feel like I gave it my all, ran my guts out, and left it all out there. And I plan on doing it again and again in all of my future races.

Finish line in sight...determined face!

New York City Marathon: If you can make it there...

...you can make it anywhere. So goes the song that serenaded us as we prepared to cross the start of the 42nd New York City Marathon!

Does my face show how excited I am?!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!
And/or insane.

Seriously though, this was one of the best days of my life. This race and day was one for the books and one I will not soon forget.

Thursday night after work I went to pick up my bib number. I didn't have much time to linger though, because I was going to the NY Flyers pasta party where THE BART YASSO would be speaking. While the food was pretty boring, the company was lovely and Bart's speech and slideshow were a great way to kick off marathon weekend.

Friday night my parents came in from Virginia and we went to dinner at Georgia's Cafe on the Upper West Side. I was sure to request an extra bread basket that was devoured in addition to the pita bread that came with my main dish. I also got a dried cherry pumpkin oatmeal cookie that played an important role in my carbo-loading for the race. I probably wouldn't have gotten through mile 20 if I hadn't had that cookie.

Saturday I laid low while my parents went to some museums. On top of relaxing and getting in a two-mile run, I also met up with Janae and 10 or so other bloggers/Hungry Runner Girl readers at 16 Handles (conveniently just up the road from my apartment!). (A big thank you 16 Handles for getting me through mile 21.) Let me just say that Janae is the sweetest, most hilarious girl -- we all had a blast talking about the race and running and everything in between!

Clearly I should not stand in the back row!
And I shouldn't wear a ponytail with a headband.
(picture courtesy of Janae)

Afterward my parents came to my apartment and we got ready to go to Uva for dinner. Dinner was super delicious -- we started with bruschetta and a killer bread basket, which I chased soon after with a whole wheat farfalle dish, filled with delicious sauce, mozzarella, and spinach. (Uva got me through mile 22, for sure.)

I attended to some very important business after dinner -- decorating my nails.

Disregard the accent nail - I ran out of zebra print.

I used Sally Hansen nail decal thingamajigs that were zebra print to remind me A) that I am an animal, and B) to run like a zebra running from a lion. I also wrote a mantra on my hand that I saw every time I looked at my watch -- "Think strong. Be strong. Finish strong." It helped.

I went to bed around 11pm, full and happy and totally ready to wake up and race the crap out of the NYC Marathon. I set three alarms and while I didn't wake up every hour on the hour like I'd expected I would, I did wake up once at 2:34am and checked to make sure that my iPhone had, indeed, fallen back with the time change. At 5am my alarm went off and I LEAPT out of bed, popped a bagel in the toaster, and threw on my race outfit, fleece throwaway pants and top, ear warmer and gloves. I grabbed my UPS bag and went outside in search of a cab -- of which there were none. Luckily I ran into two other girls who were also searching for a cab to Midtown (I took the 6am bus from the NYPL), so we headed to 3rd Ave. in search of a cab -- which we finally found!

The bus pickup at the NYPL was seamless -- there were a ton of people, but no pushing or shoving or worry that anyone would be late. As soon as one group of buses was full, they would take off and another group would file in. It took about an hour, but I made it to Staten Island around 7:15 and immediately located the portapotties and my start village (not to mention Dunkin' Donuts coffee). The whole thing was rather uneventful and quite solitary for me -- I chatted with a couple of people, but was mostly inwardly focused on getting my head in the game and trying to control my excitement.

At the Staten Island Half Marathon, I'd eaten my normal pre-race fuel, but I still felt empty and like I didn't fuel enough before that run. This time, I tried to stay very in tune with what my body needed. I had my traditional bagel with peanut butter on the bus and drank a lot of water all morning, but I knew I'd need more to eat. I had a banana at some point, then grabbed a free bagel that I nibbled on throughout the morning. My body felt strong and happy and not empty in the least throughout the entire race, so I think I did a great job of listening to it and fueling it well. I ended up drinking water and Gatorade every other aid station (note that running and drinking WILL result with Gatorade going up your nose), and taking a gel every six miles.

Before I knew it we were lining up in our corrals, and I heard "New York, New York" and the cannon sound for the first wave. Slowly we made out way up, and all of a sudden it was our turn to take the city by storm and run the biggest marathon in the world. I took a Gu and reminded myself that THIS was what I came for (a mantra that I repeated many, many times throughout the race). 

Sea of people

The race, according to my Garmin (which was a bit inaccurate, but hey, let's go with it):

Miles 1, 2 - 9:58, 8:45. I did well in the first mile, and let my legs fly running down the Verrazano Bridge. I did my best not to weave and just keep a strong, steady pace.

Miles 3, 4 - 9:13, 9:06. Oh man, it was SO GREAT to get into Brooklyn. The crowds early on were mostly people on their stoops and hanging out. It was also around here that I ran into two NY Flyers whom I'd met at the previous Three Bridges Runs, and they also happened to be aiming for a sub-4 hour marathon. (I ended up sticking with them through mile 17!)

Miles 5, 6, 7 - 8:55, 8:48, 8:51. Wow. A little quick there, Margaret. I got a little taken away by how great I felt and how wonderful the crowds were in Brooklyn. I was actually very blown away by the crowds that showed up, and the support that they showed; from signs to cheers to high-fives. This was one of my favorite parts of the race.

Miles 8, 9, 10 - 9:13, 9:06, 8:57. My legs felt good, the crowds were still great, and I was having a hard time not letting my legs go as fast as they wanted to go. I just let them fly! It also helped that I had two other people to run with and listen to and chat a bit with. Somewhere in here I also saw Johnny, who I met through the NYCM Facebook group and hung out with before the Staten Island Half Marathon! Who knew I'd run into so many people I knew among 47,000?!

Miles 11, 12, 13 - 9:12, 9:07, 9:10. This was somewhat familiar territory for me -- the Three Bridges Run had passed along here on the way to Queens and the Pulaski Bridge, so I felt comfortable at this pace. It was right around my goal pace of 9:09, too.

Miles 14, 15, 16 - 9:20, 9:21, 10:10. Unremarkable miles through Queens. I hit the halfway mark at 2:00:25, which would mean I'd have to negative split to break four hours. I suspected this was unlikely, but just kept trucking. Mile 16 was uphill on the Queensboro bridge -- I'd heard this was a terrible part of the race because it's just sneakers hitting the ground, so I focused on the views of Manhattan to my left and just putting one foot in front of the other and preparing to head into my borough.

Miles 17, 18, 19 - 9:29, 9:14, 9:26. MANHATTAN! Whew! I was definitely NOT greeted with the "wall of sound" that everyone talks about so much, so that was a bit of a letdown. My feet also started to HURT, so I kept repeating, "Your feet hurt because you're kicking so much ass!" to myself, which actually really helped! I knew that my parents and friends would be along 1st Ave. though, so I stuck to the left side and kept an eye out for them. At 17.5 I saw Becca and Portia who I know from college -- we were all in the same sorority and they actually made a bright pink sign with ∆∆∆ and "MARGARET" written on it. I couldn't miss it, and screamed out their names so they'd know I saw them! It was a bit before then that I lost my Flyers buddies so it was exciting to see people that I knew when I was getting a bit tired. At 103rd St. and 1st Ave, I saw my parents, which was SO awesome. They saw me, too!

So happy to see my parents!

Miles 20, 21 - 9:39, 9:30. Heading up into the Bronx I didn't really know what to expect. I'd never run up there, but I'd heard that Willis Bridge was a toughie. Since I'd lost my running partners back at mile 17 and I was starting to need an extra push, I put on my headphones, pumped my arms as hard as I could, and made my way through the Bronx. I thought the crowds in the Bronx were actually pretty impressive, and before I knew it I was back in Manhattan.

Miles 22, 23 - 9:29, 9:28. I unexpectedly saw my friend Eileen along 5th Ave., but completely missed two big old cheering squads of friends. They saw me, but I was on the other side of the street and completely oblivious. I think I had some sort of a marathoner blackout (which sounds bad, but trust me, I didn't feel dehydrated or sick or anything) where I just don't really remember much and was 100% focused on getting through the last few miles. 

Mile 24 - 9:58. Hello, 5th Ave. incline. I did not enjoy you. Not one little bit! But the PARK!!! Oh, it was so wonderful to enter my park. The crowds in the park were really wonderful, too. (I have a Powerbar gel to thank for getting me through this mile.)

Mile 25 - 9:35. Big downhill along Cat Hill. I'd been warned about this hill, not to take it too fast so as not to thrash my quads (oh, but my quads still feel quite thrashed today!).

Mile 26 - 9:38. Slight uphill exiting the park, followed by a great crowd on 59th St. I remember thinking that Columbus Circle looked so. far. away. But I don't remember much else. Other than being SO HAPPY when I was suddenly AT Columbus Circle and making the turn back into the park for the final 0.2 mi. I might not remember the last couple of miles terribly well, but I do remember making that turn.

Last 0.2 - 9:15 pace. Thank goodness I picked it up, but let me tell you, it was NOT easy to do so. I was struggling at this point, begging my legs to go faster, take me closer to the finish, complete the marathon that I'd spent the better part of two years mentally preparing for. Crossing that finish line was indescribable, and I almost cried, I was so happy. 

Final time: 4:06:31, for an average pace of 9:25! A personal record by 6 minutes and 41 seconds. A personal record I am so, very, incredibly proud of. A personal record I set in my city, New York City, among 47,000 others (not to mention the 2.5 million spectators). 

It is a feeling I will not soon forget. It is a race I will always remember. It was my first New York City Marathon, but it will not be my last!

Full of pride, happiness, and beer.

For Your Amusement

I thought these pictures were just too hilarious not to share...usually I'm pretty good at spotting the cameras and putting on a happy face, but that just did not happen this time!

Clearly displeased with my time

Squinting and sweating.
At least my arm looks good.

No idea what this face is...
I think I mostly just look confused

SO glad to be done-slash-
possibly dying

I'm off to Boston for the weekend before the sun even rises. I'm coxing Head of the Charles for a friend's old rowing team that's coming in from Northern California. They needed a coxswain, I was available, so I'm helping them out. I coxed a 4+ for this team two years ago, and hadn't coxed in five years, and had never been on the Charles, which has many turns (and while we all know I'm not good at running tangents, I can steer a shell around the tightest corner if needed!).

It was my first time in Boston, and while there was a cold snap that made me have to wear a zillion layers at all times, I completely fell in love with the city.

This weekend's weather is looking good:

This was my view from the boat:

Bow-coxed 4+. Ready to race!

Along with this:

The beautiful Charles River. It was beautiful this day, but
the rain and cold (and SNOW!) came soon after!

Ahhh and this:

Fall foliage!

I can't wait!

Have you ever been to Boston? Any fun plans for you this weekend?

NYCM Training: A Half-Marathon PR!

Big week, friends. I had some great runs, enjoyed the beautiful fall (and the weekend's summer) weather, turned 27 (eek!), AND PR'ed in the half marathon by more than seven minutes! It was a great week! And here's how it turned out:

• Monday: walking
• Tuesday: 5 mile run
• Wednesday: 5 mile run
• Thursday: birthday 5 mile run!
• Friday: rest
• Saturday: walking/shopping/carbo loading
• Sunday: Staten Island Half Marathon!

Total mileage: 28 miles! 

First, the birthday was excellent! It involved a beautiful morning run around the reservoir (no photo I'm afraid, but it was absolutely perfect out), presents that I opened as soon as my run was done (I'm already 100 pages into "A Race Like No Other" and I don't think I'll be putting it down anytime soon),

free Starbucks, surprise cookies that Eloise sent me from Insomnia Cookies in the middle of the day,

margaritas and friends at MxCo,

It's true, sometimes I don't wear running clothes!

and cake!

Wishing for a sub-2 hour half marathon...

It was a really great birthday!

I took Friday and Saturday pretty easy (aside from walking up a storm on Saturday, going from shop to shop with a friend who was visiting from DC) and didn't go out at all. I slept 11 hours on Friday night and Saturday I was in bed before midnight with a 5:30am wake-up call for today. 

I wanted to get on the 6:30am ferry so I wouldn't have to deal with the madness of the 7:30 ferry to Staten Island, and also so I could pick up my bib since I was lazy and didn't pick it up yesterday (too busy shopping, what can I say?). I met up with Johnny who I met through the NYCM Facebook group that Theodora started, and also saw Dave who I met at the NYC Flyers 20 mile run last week. 

I hadn't really heard much about this race, so a few people who had run it before offered some "wisdom" about the course. Example: It's pretty flat! Ummm, this is incredibly incorrect and false. It's hilly! Very hilly! I'd been warned of a few hills in there, but I wasn't quite as prepared for the hills as I thought that I was.

For breakfast, I had my usual half-bagel with peanut butter, but I just don't think it was enough for me this morning. I didn't feel as strong as I'd have liked, and ended up taking a gel pretty early on in the race (mile 6). I ended up drinking a lot more Gatorade than I usually drink during a race this distance because a) I felt I needed more calories, and b) it was HOT so I was sweating even more than usual...attractive, I know.

It was a beautiful day for a PR though, and PR I did! My three half-marathon times before were 2:06:38, 2:06:11, and 2:06:10. I was DETERMINED to break two hours this time, which would mean a 9:09 average. The race started out fine -- my legs felt pretty good and I got into a nice groove, I think. I walked through every aid station and picked up the pace again once I finished my drink. 

For me, the tough parts were the hills (I slowed down a lot, and didn't really try to push it) and some mental demons that tried to get me to turn this into a training run instead of a PR. I fought them pretty well though, and near the end when I realized that I WOULD be able to PR, I pushed it and worked my ass off up the hills, down the hills, and to the finish line, to an official time of 1:58:59!!! 

View of Manhattan from Staten Island - beautiful day!

One thing I need to work on (aside from pushing out those discouraging thoughts) is tangents -- according to my Garmin, I went 13.24 miles...which is a full 0.14 mi more than I needed to run, which means I ran a lot more than I should have. If I'd just run 13.1 mi, that time would have been at least a minute and a half faster than my finish time! So yeah, I mean, trust me, I'm incredibly pumped about my time and could not be more thrilled about breaking two hours! But it wouldn't be a race without having a learning experience and finding something that I can improve on for next time, right? Right!

Here's the map and splits:

ARGH TANGENTS. I must learn to run the tangents. Anyone have any tips for this? I tried to be aware of it for part of the race, and for a little bit I was doing OK with it, but clearly I got lazy and just ran... Ah well. A PR is a PR, and I'm damn proud of this one!

I celebrated the half marathon with the five S's: stretching, shower, sleep, and Shake Shack. I have a tradition of having a burger after every half marathon, and this one was no different! I've been mostly vegetarian since April, but it's more because I like the way it makes me feel and I like that it makes me more creative in the kitchen. It's also cheaper! But I just had to have a burger and fries today...it was necessary after losing all that sweat in the race!

Today really made the marathon seem REAL. Yes, it's been on my mind since last year when I was running those nine races with NYRR, working toward automatic entry for the race, but I'd been kind of worried that I'd re-injured my leg (seems that I haven't since I ran pain-free!) so I was wondering if I'd have to defer to next year. But um, nope, seems that in four short weeks I'll be back in Staten Island, and I thought of that today as I saw the Verrazano Bridge looming in the distance. I'll be on that upper deck, with my orange bib, preparing to run the biggest marathon in the world with 45,000 other people. 

And I simply cannot wait to be a part of it.

NYCM Training: A Sweaty Week 5

Another week down! There's still plenty more to go, but as of Saturday, Aug. 6, there are only THREE MONTHS until the NYC Marathon!!! YAY!

So with that, a recap of last week's glorious workouts:

• Monday: 30 minute yoga session
• Tuesday: 3 mile run, Total Body Conditioning
• Wednesday: 6 mile speed run
• Thursday: 3 mile run (sans Garmin and iPhone! So freeing!)
• Friday: rest
• Saturday: 6 mile run
• Sunday: 12 mile run (9:17 pace)

Total mileage: 30

Tuesday also included a happy hour with some lovely people in the NYC Marathon Facebook group (if you're running it, join!) at Swift, a bar I'd been very interested in trying since it has many, many beers. (Check out Theodora's blog for a cute picture of the group!) I almost didn't go to this event -- I was tired, wanted to go home, etc., but I decided I probably wouldn't regret meeting new people with similar interests, so I went. I'm so glad that I did! Laurel, Maggie, Theodora, Sue and everyone else were SO nice and fun to talk to. I am sure there will be more happy hours to come!

I also registered for two races last week... I've run some NYRR borough half-marathon since I started running (Queens in Sept. 2009, Brooklyn in May 2010), so I signed up for the Staten Island Half-Marathon on Oct. 9. I also signed up for...

SunTrust Rock'n'Roll Marathon in DC! My friend Christina just registered for it, too, and I'm already looking forward to it! It'll be on March 17, 2012, and if St. Patrick's day wasn't reason enough for a few beers, running a marathon ON St. Patrick's Day certainly is...right? Right.

In other news, I went home to Alexandria, Va., this past weekend, which meant running on the treadmill we have in our basement on Saturday (followed by picking crabs in Essex, Md.!):

Not the best for carbo-loading, but
delicious nonetheless!

...and doing my long run on the Mount Vernon Trail, which is actually more pavement than trail, and goes along the Potomac River in Virginia. It also meant that I had to DRIVE to my running destination, something I don't ever have to do here in NYC! Luckily, I got there at 7am when there were plenty of parking spots, so I parked, hopped out of the car, and got going.

Toto, I don't think we're in Central Park anymore...

I didn't bring my CamelBak home with me, so I left my water in the car and decided I'd run a few miles away from the car, then back, hydrating whenever I passed by the car (and I stopped every single time to get some H2O and electrolytes in my system!). There were also a couple of water fountains along the trail (thank goodness!), as well as a breeze and tons of shade, so while it was hot and very humid, it wasn't unbearable by any means. I ran two miles north, turned around and went back, got some water, then three miles south from the car, turned around and went back, got some water, then one mile north and back to the car. It reminded me of the Potomac River Run's 6.5 mile loop in a way, but it was only 12 miles instead of 26.2. And the terrain was a little different from the towpath:

There are a few bridges on this path -- pretty cool!

By the end I was a sweaty mess, and my shorts were literally DRIPPING. I had to squeeze out the extra moisture AND sit on something so I wouldn't soak the seat. You can't really see it, but these shorts were actually soaked:

Sweatsoaked to the bone. But NO CHAFING.
Lululemon shorts FTW!

Needless to say, I was happy to be done with the run.

Check out those beads of sweat on my nose.

I was even happier when I got into the car, blasted the AC, and chugged my Smart Water. 

Map:

And splits:

• Mile 1 - 9:32
• Mile 2 - 9:17
• Mile 3 - 9:12
• Mile 4 - 9:15
• Mile 5 - 9:26
• Mile 6 - 9:35
• Mile 7 - 9:12
• Mile 8 - 9:32
• Mile 9 - 9:20
• Mile 10 - 8:57
• Mile 11 - 9:10
• Mile 12 - 8:56

Total time: 1:51:32, for an average pace of 9:17

I took a two-hour nap after that run. I felt I'd earned it. Two hours of running = two hour nap, right? Right. 

Before heading to the bus back to NYC, I also stopped by Pacers to stock up on Gu, Clif Mojo bars, and some new Superfeet inserts. My mom and I also couldn't resist picking up some cheese in Old Town Alexandria, and stopping by Target for wine and other necessities. Some wine and cheese (and a Panera sandwich...mmm...) were just what I needed to get me through the 4.5 hour bus ride back to NYC!

All in all, a great week! And week 6 is already looking pretty good! Hope your training is going well too :)

Race recap: Race to Deliver

The Race to Deliver was my first race since I started running again, and it was only the second time that I'd run outside since then (the first time was just a week prior!). I had been a bit hesitant about running outdoors since my injury since maybe running on the pavement had added to the stress reaction, but I was excited to finish my 9+1 qualifier for the 2011 NYC Marathon and was ready to do my best and have an easy run. But with a new Girl Talk album on my iPod, an easy run was just not possible.

I love living so close to the start line of most of the NYRR races -- I can walk over there five minutes before the race starts and don't have to wait around in the cold. It was pretty cold that morning too, about 40 degrees, but my trusty Runner's World "What Should I Wear?" tool told me two layers on top, shorts, and gloves would be all I needed. I arrived at the start line and saw people in running tights, fleeces, hats, mittens and more, and I doubted my clothing choice. After all, there's not too much sun on the four-mile course, and it wasn't even 40 degrees out yet! But once I got a mile in, I knew I'd made the right decision -- I even took off my gloves and wished I had one less layer on top. And...I was going fast! My Garmin (map and splits to come!) even said I was sub-9:00 pace for a couple of miles, so I gunned it pretty much the whole race, hoping to improve my previous 4-mile PR of 36:00...and I did! By one whole second! I really do have a thing for improving times by mere seconds this year. I'm going to take that as a sign that I should work on my speed workouts.

On top of the race last weekend, I also volunteered the day before at the Knickerbocker 60K -- yes, SIXTY kilometers, as in 37.2 miles, as in 11 miles on top of a marathon! The people in the race (all 214 of them) started at 8 a.m., ran 1.2 miles, then ran nine loops of a four-mile course. Talk about monotony! The volunteers and I would yell out the numbers of the runners as they came by each loop, encouraging them -- I loved seeing the smile on their faces as they ran past us! We had quite a few people come up and ask us what was happening, how far 60 kilometers was, what on EARTH would possess a person to run such a distance, etc. It was really fun to watch, but it's not something I ever plan on doing in the future!

As for my running, I've been having some weird pain in the left leg again (in a totally different place from the stress reaction), but I ran 4.5 miles on the treadmill over Thanksgiving and felt pretty good! I think I'm finally getting back into it, but I feel like I need/want something to train for to get me doing those speed workouts and long runs. I honestly really enjoy running in the cold, but I don't live anywhere near the Westside Highway anymore and I'm not the biggest fan of Central Park's hills, so I don't know how much I'll get outside this winter. Hopefully I can run along the East River at least a little bit!

Here's to a running-filled and injury-free winter!

Still here!

I'm still here! I'm still training, still a little injured (but am SO much better!), still not running outdoors nearly as much as I should. I moved apartments, I went to Boston for July 4th, and then went home last weekend. I attempted a midday 10 mile run last weekend when I was home in Virginia, but even with the CamelBak it was WAY too hot and WAY too humid. It was kind of pathetic, but I blame the humidity and heat. Something about running on asphalt in the middle of a hot day...the heat just rises up from the asphalt and attacks. It's awful.

Needless to say, I did not finish the 10 miles, but did make it to 5.5 miles! Since long runs are so important in training, I'm making up for the 10 miler tomorrow by tacking on six miles to my four-mile race. It's gonna be another scorcher, but luckily I'll be running in the morning so hopefully it won't be TOO bad.

Yesterday morning I set out for a five mile run, and since I moved to the Upper East Side, I'm now conveniently located very close to Central Park! Something about the sciatica in my right leg makes me a little nervous about running. I just KNOW that it's going to hurt afterward and I anticipate that pain before I've even stepped out of bed. But this run was good! I started out slow, but felt better and better as I went so I turned the easy run into a tempo run. I'm still not NEARLY as fast as I was before, but I'm happy! Check out the map and stats below:

I loved being in Central Park -- seeing so many healthy runners and cyclists working out so early in the morning was super motivating! I definitely plan on doing more runs in CP now that I'm so close!

Another great motivator? Amazing workout clothes. I went to lululemon at the mall last week in Virginia and picked up two pairs of lululemon running shorts. And now, I am obsessed. They are amazing. I mean, AMAZING.

The waistband is a 3" band that is actually flattering -- or at least, not unflattering... It doesn't dig into my waist, which is a huge plus. The seams are flat, so there's no chafing either. Honestly, they're just the best shorts I've ever owned, ever. I just wish they weren't so darn expensive!

Well, I have a race tomorrow -- the Central Park Conservancy Run. And it's almost 10pm. Sooo that means I'm going to head to bed! And hopefully I'll be better about blogging in the future! :)

Japan Day Run

Today was the Japan Day Run. I didn't have a great race -- 4 miles in 40:48. I did go into it just thinking of it as my workout for the day and that time didn't matter (which I still feel is true), but I felt SO slow and sluggish the whole way. My legs felt like sandbags. Even Glee's "Like A Prayer" couldn't help me pick up my pace! In all I suppose it could have been worse, but it was definitely not my best race. Oh well.

I guess it's just sort of making me worried about marathon training this summer. Granted, the long runs are usually run at a slower pace anyway, but it is HOT in New York in the summer! I suppose I can always run along the river instead of Central Park (for some reason Central Park tends to get little to no wind on the running path), but since I'm moving to the UES Central Park will be sooo much more convenient than the Hudson! And I will have my CamelBak to keep me hydrated. And I can always get up incredibly early and knock the run out before it gets hot. So maybe it won't be so bad!

Here's my Garmin info from the race:

Well, marathon training will be starting quite soon. This coming week I'm going to cross train and do some running but probably not too much. Next weekend I'll be at the beach so I'll definitely try to squeeze in a run even when I'm relaxing! And then...marathon training will begin. I am still researching training plans -- I've heard good things about Hal Higdon, and in the past I've just used the Runner's World training program (subscription required). I guess I'll just talk to a few people and see what worked for them! I'm looking for about a 16-week program to start around June 21. I'll let you know which one I go with!

I'm off to bed -- had quite a weekend in the sun (maybe that's why I was so slow!) and am wiped!

Sooo yeah that "getting back thing"...

I'm here! I'm doing stuff! I've been running, racing, cooking, ellipticalling, AND I got a massage. All good things.

I ran the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k last weekend with my roommate B. It was my first run over 2 miles since the More Magazine/Fitness Magazine Half-Marathon in late April, so I went into it not expecting much. B and I had discussed running the race together since neither of us was planning on racing hard, and thank goodness B ran it with me! I felt sluggish and my legs felt like sandbags, and I have a feeling I didn't eat enough the night before. Having B with me definitely helped me through it, as did the usual mix of Lady Gaga, Miley and Girl Talk!

Just compare me finishing the More Magazine/Fitness Magazine Half-Marathon:

Happy! I'm even smiling (or is that a grimace? Haha)!

...to me finishing the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k:

Blehhh...tired looking...dragging...dead.

Oh well. Sometimes you have bad races. C'est la vie!

I still felt pretty good for the first few miles, and around mile 4 or 5 I was starting to feel a little...weird and not great. I was really glad to have B with me though!

My legs felt pretty good the next day. I've been going to physical therapy and working on strengthening and stretching my hip flexor. I still have this totally bizarre and unidentifiable pain in my right leg, but I think it's from overcompensating for the hip flexor pain on the left leg. I'm not sure how to fix that really, but the massage I got today definitely helped and hopefully more stretches and strengthening exercises will help too. I highly recommend the place I went to for my massage -- Eastside Massage Therapy. It's very no-frills, but it's far cheaper than any hour-long massage at a fancy spa. And it was the best massage I'd ever had!

I ran only once last week, a couple of miles where I ran a mile and walked on an 8% incline for half a mile or so. I felt pretty OK and physical therapy helped a lot too. I had the Brooklyn Half-Marathon yesterday and since I'm doing the 9+1 program for the 2011 NYC Marathon I figured I should at least show up and cross the start line to make sure it counts. My legs had been feeling OK (the hip flexor had been feeling great) so I decided to give it a try. The race involved two loops around Prospect Park (I'd never run there before!), a 5-mile straight shot along Ocean Parkway (SOOOOO boring...), and about a mile along the Coney Island boardwalk (I'd never been there before!).

I honestly felt SO great the first seven miles (aside from the uphill parts of course) -- that was a huge motivator for me. I was torn because part of me just wanted to be there and try my best, and part of me wanted to compete and do well! Once I left the park and had nothing to look at but highway signs though, I was lost. Totally bored. I had a few miles where I would just stare straight ahead and focus on a person in front of me -- unfortunately for part of the time I had a man in front of me with THE HAIRIEST BACK I had EVER seen. He had a bald head but an incredibly hairy back. THAT was motivating for me to run past him at least...

Once again, my Garmin lied to me and would beep at the mile before I reached the mile marker, so the time is off on this (which I guess means the splits are also off a bit). I think I need to call them or recalibrate it or something because in every recent race the miles have been off!

Pretty good! You can see where the hills were in Prospect Park... And at the end there was a ramp up to the boardwalk, which really is just so cruel at the end of a race!

I had a great time overall, but I just could not stand that 5-mile straightaway. I'm just glad that I finished it, that I survived, and that I improved!

More to come soon...I'll definitely be back! Especially since marathon training will be starting in late June!!! AAAHHH!

You may be right...

...I may be crazy, but I just signed up for the Brooklyn Half-Marathon. It takes place four weeks after the More/Fitness Magazine Half-Marathon, which I think will be plenty of time between races. Since I ran in the Queens Half-Marathon last year, I thought I might try to run a half-marathon in a different borough each year. It'll be a great way to check out Brooklyn, it will definitely be fun, and it ends in Coney Island -- I've never been there before! Plus, my coworker may do it as well, and what better way to build a team than a little competition... :)

This week, thank goodness, is a pullback week. I have no idea if that's the right term for it, but that's what I've been calling it. Basically, for every week of training, you increase mileage by about 10% for three weeks, then decrease your mileage the fourth week to help you rest up for the following week. In the past three weeks, I run 21 miles week 1, 22 miles week 2, and 24 miles week 3. This week I'll just run 18 miles, but next week is 25 miles. See how that works? Pretty nifty, and it definitely seems to work. With a vacation on the horizon and a pullback week this week, I am certain I'll be ready for those 25 miles next week!

Not that I'm much of an outdoor runner in the pre-daylight hours anyway, but NYC is rainy and foggy and chilly today, which is not my favorite combination for a run. So I stuck to the trusty treadmill: I ran five miles at 6.0 mph and felt pretty great! I can't WAIT to go to L.A. and run around outside in the 72 degrees and sunny weather...ahhh, I can see it now!!!

Oooh...

OK, so that's from my San Diego trip last year, but I imagine L.A. will be somewhat similar, no?

Speaking of, does anyone have any must-see sights or must-eat restaurants while in L.A. (aside from In 'N' Out...)? I did live in L.A. for a year, but I was a wee freshman in college and didn't have a car to get around. Any and all ideas would be appreciated!

NYRR 8000

This morning I had the NYRR 8000 race in Central Park. As I've made you well aware, the weather was supposed to be terrible, and it was! But thankfully it wasn't nearly as terrible as I'd expected.

On a side note, what's up with me getting bad luck with weather and races? Do I bring with me awful weather to every race I run in? First it was 18 degrees and frigid the day of the NYRR Gridiron Classic, today it was windy and rainy...I guess the weather can only improve, but if there's a hurricane the day of the half-marathon, you can probably blame me.

Anyway, the night before I laid out my race bib and cap on top of my sneakers so I wouldn't forget them, along with my other race day gear.

By the way, I got a Road ID with my emergency contact info for my shoe 

(just in case anything should happen when I'm running by myself). Check out their site!

I woke up at 6am and had half a bagel with peanut butter (my usual pre-race fuel) and planned to leave around 7. I layered up on top and wore my running tights, along with gloves, an ear warmer, a neck warmer, and a baseball cap. I looked ridiculous (as you'll see in the Brightroom pictures to come) but I was definitely ready for the elements!

I got to E. 102nd St. and 5th Ave. at 7:40 -- there were a ton of people huddled under the scaffolding there, waiting until the very last minute to make the dash over to the starting line. I waited a few minutes and then decided to brave the rain to head to my corral. The time it took for 8am to roll around felt like an eternity -- the woman who sang the national anthem took her sweet time on those high notes, while all the runners jumped up and down, teeth chattering, trying to stay warm. It was raining, but not very hard, and it was windy, but not gusting. The NYRR results page says it was 39 degrees and wind at 7 mph. Not too bad!

The race finally started right at 8. I felt pretty good -- I knew I was going to keep going for four more miles after the race (part of my half-marathon training; today was a long run day for 9 miles), and since I'm sick on top of that, I decided to take it very, very easy. I was aiming for about a 10 minute mile, and ended up with a 9:50 average pace during the race.

My overall pace for the 9 miles wasn't much different:

I was happy with it! Considering I was sick and running in the rain/wind/cold, I think it's pretty darn good :)

I finally have a new map! No West Side Highway in sight!

I really liked running in Central Park, and it's good practice for the half-marathon in April. Plus, when it's not rainy and gross, it's really pretty! Can't wait for spring...

So I survived the race. And got this cute shirt!

My extra four miles conveniently took me directly to the 6 train at 77th Street. The train took forEVER to come, but I got on, made my way to Union Square, and SPRINTED home...it was colder and windier down here than it was in the Park! Go figure... I promptly got into a hot shower and took a solid two hour nap. Needless to say, it was more than necessary.

I'm pretty sure that if I can run 9 miles in the rain and wind with a cold, then I can probably do pretty much anything, right?

A cold

Guys, I have a cold. It has thrown a serious wrench in my workout plans. All my body wants is SLEEP! So I've taken a few days off from working out and am letting this cold run its course.

Tomorrow I have an 8k race in Central Park in the RAIN and I'm not sure what to do about it...run in the rain with a cold? I might be stopping by a sporting goods store to pick up a water-resistant jacket today...but I'm wondering if maybe I should just forget about the $17 I spent on the race and just sign up for another race instead. Can you tell I'm indecisive?

On top of that...I haven't been in the mood to cook (why cook when your nose is so stuffed that you can hardly taste anything good?!), so there is no Recipe for Health this week. BOO, I know. Hopefully I can manage to double up on recipes next week when I'm better.

With that, I will leave you with tomorrow morning's weather forecast. Think good, warm, snuggly thoughts for me tomorrow as I run through Central Park in the pouring rain!

By the way, if anyone has any suggestions for running in the cold, windy rain, please let me know!!!

UPDATE: I stopped by Jack Rabbit Sports on my lunch hour and picked up a water-resistant and wind-resistant jacket by Saucony (that was 40% off!). I'm going to run the race at an easy pace, not pushing myself, and just tack on another four miles after the race to get my nine miles in. I've got gloves to keep my hands warm, a cap to keep the rain out of my eyes, my running pants and a couple of layers with my new jacket. I hope I'll survive! Wish me luck and think warm thoughts for me!

I didn't freeze to death!

And I met my goal!

It was absolutely frigid, but I think my legs were numb so it made the race in the cold slightly more bearable. I had a really great time at this race, and it was definitely good for me to see how the NYRR races are set up since I'll be running a lot of them this year!

I kept an eye on my Garmin to see what my pace was, but I started it a little early so the splits by mile are a little bit off. I'll have to be a little less trigger-happy next time and wait till I actually cross the start line to start the Garmin. Here's the first of many maps to come involving Central Park:

After the race, a bunch of people who met through Meghann's blog had brunch at Arte Cafe  - I met Meghann, Dori, Ashley, Melissa, and some other great girls who ran the race too. I had a delicious omelet with goat cheese and spinach, and was so full from the chocolate chip bagel I had after the race that I took half of the omelet home.

Brunch was followed by the obligatory post-race nap (after the obligatory post-race shower, of course), then lots of food for Super Bowl Sunday. My friend invited me over, and my roommate and I ate our body weight in homemade baked ziti, hummus, veggies, crackers, and of course, brownies, cookies and beer. All in all it was a successful race day and Super Bowl Sunday!

I'll be planning my future races for this year soon so let me know if you're running in any I should know about!

First race of 2010!

Remember last week when I chickened out of a 6 mile run outside because it was too cold? Check out the weather prediction for my race tomorrow morning:

My race is at 9am. Which means it'll be 21 degrees and feel like 7 degrees. Which means I should not have been a weenie last weekend when it was 18 degrees and felt like 6 degrees. Oh well!

I'm super excited about the race though, and am thinking that maybe this cold will encourage me to run extra fast! I'm hoping for a 9-minute mile, but my main goal is to HAVE FUN! I'll be sure to update you tomorrow after the race!

February 1

There are a few important things happening on February 1.

First of all, it marks the first day of training for the April half-marathon:

It's actually 12 weeks long, and I think I'll probably use the McMillan running calculator (there's music so turn the volume down...unless you're looking for some good tunes!) for my pacing so I can aim to break two hours on the half-marathon. I used the SmartCoach tool on the Runner's World site for the schedule above (you need to be a member to do use it).

Here's the pacing plan the McMillan running calculator spit out for me:

Thank you to Meghann for directing me to this site! Meghann is going to be in New York for the Gridiron Classic 4M race next weekend - that's the next thing February 1 marks, the entrance into the month of my first race of 2009! I'm looking forward to meeting Meghann and some fellow runners!

Another big February 1 occurrence is ...

You guessed it, my rent check is due. Ugh, I hate the first of the month!!!

Oh yeah, and there is just one other little thing...

Yup - the Chicago marathon opens the floodgates for registration. And none other than Yours Truly will be registering. Yikes! My friend Christina will be registering too - yay!

Why the Chicago marathon you ask? Well, there are a few reasons:

1. I've never been to Chicago and I keep hearing I'd love it. I'm looking forward to actually going and seeing the city, and I think the marathon would give me the perfect excuse to go out there.
2. It's on 10/10/10. How cool is that?!
3. It's four days after my 26th birthday. So no, I won't be getting too crazy on my actual birthday, but what a celebration I'll have afterward! Woo! And there's something that I like about running my first 26.2 mile race at the age of 26. Weird? Cool? I don't know, I like the idea of it.

I think that pretty much sums it up. I was going between the Marine Corps marathon and the Chicago marathon, and even though it would be kind of easier to run the Marine Corps marathon in DC since my family lives there and everything, I just really want to go to Chicago! So Chicago it is. I'll report back after I actually register!