Race Report: New York City Marathon 11/7/10

Folks have been asking for a more detailed report of the race, so here I go. I stayed in Manhattan the night before so I wouldn't have to get up so early to make the 6:15am bus (but the extra hour helped). Our bus took awhile to get to the start, which was fine. That meant more time inside and near a bathroom. We arrived at Ft. Wadsworth around 7:45, which gave us plenty of time to wait. Wave 3 didn't start until 10:40am. The start was a mob scene, so we just found our meeting place and sat down, trying to stay calm and focused.

Fast forward to 10::40am. The wind on the Verrazano Bridge felt like knives cutting through me. I thought if I could make it through the first mile, I would be good to go. I had a pair of Dad's tube socks on my arms. I planned to take them off when we left SI, but I kept them on the whole race. It was cold!

I love Brooklyn. Everyone on 4th avenue had tons of energy. There was a whole group of us Galloway run/walkers together through Bay Ridge, Sunset Park and Park Slope. I missed a friend at mile 6, but saw another at mile 7.5. A very kind person gave me a mini snickers bar somewhere around there. Delicious. My fabulous family was at mile 8 holding a giant sign that made them impossible to miss. We had time for a quick photo and some hugs and I headed onward to Lafayette, where I saw two more friends around mile 8.5/9. Coincidentally, they were right next to each other. R had a big M taped to her coat, which was awesome. I missed another friend right before them, but she texted me and said she'd seen me pass by. The crowds in Fort Greene and Bed Stuy were fabulous, and every friend I passed propelled me forward. At that point, three of us broke off from the rest of the group and kept on. Once we reached south Williamsburg, things got much quieter. It was a nice change before the craziness of north Williamsburg. We passed a bunch of bars on Bedford, all overflowing with celebrating spectators. A guy yelled that I was "effing beautiful." I'm sure that was totally accurate. He'd had a few beverages AND it was mile 11 of a marathon. Right. We passed through Williamsburg to Greenpoint and checked another borough off the list.

We crossed the Pulaski Bridge into Queens, still going strong. The first 12 miles passed very quickly, but we started to notice the distance after that. I saw three dear friends in Long Island City and my darling neighbor from 2 years at CUSSW by the base of the Queensborough Bridge (aka the bridge of doom). Their cheers and hugs propelled us up the hill (miles 14-15). The bridge feels endless and there are no spectators up there, only the noise of feet. The three of us were still together when Lynn, fabulous pace group leader, caught up with us. Our little group exited the bridge and turned onto 1st avenue, where Lynn's sister was waiting for us at 61st street. The peanut m&ms she had were delicious. (To a certain extent, I measured the miles by the candy I ate).

Three boroughs down. Two to go! First Avenue in Manhattan was not as crazy as I remember in 2006, but the crowds were still very supportive. We had a Galloway aid station at 105th Street (mile 18.5ish). I was able to see Mom and Dad there again, sign and all. Better than candy!

Through East Harlem, into the Bronx over the Willis Avenue bridge...The Bronx seemed extra long this year, but I definitely felt better this time than I did at the same point in 2006.

Back in Manhattan, we saw a fellow Galloway teammate near Marcus Garvey Park. She had some sustenance for us, so I had a sip of soda and kept moving. At that point, our group shrank to 3. I felt good, but I wanted to be done. I couldn't think, so I just put one foot in front of the other. On 5th Avenue, Lynn pointed out a giant sign with my name on it and said "I think that sign is for you!" Turns out, it was another dear friend with her husband. Just what I needed! Lynn and Christine stopped around 105 and 5th to use the bathroom, and I knew that if I stopped, it would be hard to start again. I told them I was going on ahead, so I set off alone. As I was about to turn into the park at 90th Street, I heard someone yelling my name. It was Nancy, my superstar pace leader from the days of Team Fireass (2006). I hadn't seen her in 4 years. She gave me a big hug and urged me on. She pushed me through to the finish in 2006, and I loved that she was there to push me the last few miles this year.

I entered the park and kept going. My right calf started to cramp up, but I just told myself it wasn't time to stop yet. The crowd yelled for me (thank goodness for my name on my shirt!) and I focused on their energy to carry me forward. Finally, I exited the park on Central Park South and could see Columbus Circle ahead. I walk that stretch of of street all the time, but it feels so much longer at mile 26 of a marathon! Mom and Dad were on Central Park South. I waved at them and told them I'd see them at the finish. I felt like I had plenty of energy left to kick at the end, and I ignored the last few walk breaks and ran it straight out. It was getting dark and it was cold, so there weren't that many spectators out, but I listened to the cheers and visualized a full crowd. Finally, I crossed the finish in 6:09, five minutes slower than Hartford. Jen and David, my first Galloway friends, finished 2 minutes before me and were there when I crossed. Al Roker was there too. I beat him by an hour (he started in Wave 2). What a great day and a great race!

So what's on deck? More PT, lots of yoga, rest. My goal is to get off the anti-inflammatory medication and stick to shorter distances for awhile. I'd love to do another marathon, but I need to heal first and figure out what is causing all of my injuries. I couldn't have done this without the support of friends, family, and teammates. I appreciate all of you so much. Thanks for helping me prove that 2006 wasn't a fluke!

Done!

Yesterday was a truly amazing day. I will write a longer post later, but for now, a huge thank you to all of the very special spectators who came out to cheer us on. I saw you at mile 7.5, mile 8, mile 9, mile 14, mile 18, mile 20, and mile 25. Lots of love to all of you!

One week to go!

I ran on my own this morning in BK because I have visitors in town and we had important business to get to. These ladies know how to get a lot done in a short period of time, and I am going to have a gorgeous apartment to show for it! Anyway, so I skipped the team run (sad, our last run before the marathon, and we were going to do the last 10 miles of the course) in favor of a couple loops of the park. I planned to do 3, but I only did two. I wasn't feeling it and decided it was not a good idea to push it. Next week is the week to do that. It was pretty chilly out, but the leaves were beautiful. I'm sure I made up the extra miles running around IKEA and moving furniture down six flights of stairs.

One week until NYC, and I'm excited. I'm still in a little bit of denial that it's actually here. After it's over, I'm going to rest. I joined an amazing yoga studio, so I will be making that my home for awhile.

Good luck to those running the Marine Corps Marathon in DC tomorrow!

A windy 8 miler

Yesterday was my first run since Hartford last Saturday. I didn't want to get up early, but I knew that it would be best to meet up with the group for inspiration. I knew they would push me to do the full 8. (I would find a way to shorten it if I ran on my own in Prospect Park). When I met up with them at 79th/5th, it was freezing and windy outside. I definitely did not have enough layers on. Note to self: time to pull out the hats and gloves for early morning runs. We aborted our plan to run along the East River in favor of two loops of the park, where there was more protection from the wind.

Overall, the 8 miles felt really good. We were all still on the high from our respective marathons the week before, and a lot of people were back after being away so it was nice to catch up on our race experiences. We were a little disorganized as a result, and I think our intervals may have been off, but we finished the 8 and went to have breakfast afterward. Eggs taste really good after a run!

Countdown to NYC starts now.

Race Report: Hartford Marathon 10/9/10

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was feeling extremely anxious about the Hartford race and even debating if I should switch to the half marathon. On the bus to Hartford, I was surrounded by ultra marathoners and Boston qualifiers, which made my aspirations for a 6 hour race seem inadequate. But then again, most people in the world have never attempted such a distance. I decided to put my doubts out of my head and tackle the full. Leslie picked me up at the Expo and we had an early dinner, then drove part of the course. I'd only been to Hartford very briefly before, so that helped a lot. Leslie somehow knew exactly what I needed in order to relax and prepare. When we got back to her house, a Sophie Kinsella book and a copy of "Born to Run" were on the nightstand, in case I couldn't sleep and needed distraction and/or motivation, she said. (L, for the record, you are the best host ever).

Saturday morning, I got up at 5am to prepare. We got to the start around 7:15am. L left a little before 8, and I was still in complete denial about what was about to happen. I was surrounded by people running the half, and I couldn't help but think that that might've been a better idea. But I couldn't spend any more time thinking about that. Time to focus on the task at hand.

The first few miles, the half and full courses were the same. I was a bit concerned that I would miss the turn for the full and/or I wouldn't find anyone else running at my pace, but I just kept up the intervals and tried to take it easy. Once the courses split off, there were some people running at my pace, but not many, so I was alone for long periods of time. It was sort of nice, actually. The course was beautiful, the weather was perfect, and the quiet allowed me to focus on the scenery and my beeping watch. I saw Leslie at mile 6, which was great. (It's pretty clear from the picture she took how far back I am from the pack, but who cares, right? If I wasn't so slow, it might look like I was winning!)

The first 13.1 went by pretty fast (considering it took me three hours). I don't know what I thought about. Just took in the beautiful views of the river and met some of the inspiring runners around me. There was a guy running with Achilles who was completing his 111th marathon and a woman who was a member of the 50 marathons in 50 states club. Another guy took a wrong turn and ran a couple miles on the half course only to turn around and come back. He was also a member of the 50 marathons in 50 states club and told me I should consider joining because "we need more beautiful women in the club." Um, thank you, but no thank you. I already think I'm a little crazy for attempting Hartford a month before NYC. But I do appreciate the fact that you think I'm beautiful several miles into a marathon, when I'm sure I look anything but!

Saw L and R right at the halfway point (thanks, guys!), and another spectator very kindly jumped in with me for a bit. I didn't know her, but she was trying to get to her brother's house and the road was closed, so she decided to run with me. It was really sweet. I'll take any support I can get!

After the halfway mark, we were running on the right side of Main St, while runners passed us heading the other direction. On the one hand, it was pretty cool to see the leaders pass me (mile 25 for them) at the 2:30 mark, but it's a little discouraging knowing I had a lot more to go before reaching that point. For that reason, I really don't like out and back courses, but I put it out of my head and focused on my own race. Three cheers and big thank yous to the kind spectators who encouraged me to keep at it.

I kept my pace steady to the turnaround at mile 17. From that point, I started counting down the miles until I would meet Leslie again. I hit mile 18 around 12:30 (4:30 into my race) and had the cruel realization that the road was reopening to cars and the race organizers were taking down the mile markers. I knew that some of the roads were reopening, but with a course limit of 6 hours, I figured the mile markers would stay up until 2pm. Fail, Hartford, fail. It was quite frustrating not to know where I was, but thank goodness Leslie jumped in with me at mile 20. I was still feeling really good despite being a bit peeved at the city of Hartford for the lack of mileage marking. By mile 22, I was really getting antsy to finish. Miles 23-25 were in residential areas; complicated to navigate without any course markings. Without my support team (Leslie), I would've gotten lost and probably given up. We finally made it to the bridge back into downtown Hartford. Runners who had already finished urged us on. We had to go down some stairs near the science center (really, Hartford? Stairs at mile 26 of the marathon?)

Finally, we made it to within just a few blocks of Bushnell Park. L ran with me right to the end. I was able to kick the last 3/4 mile and run hard into the finish line. What a great feeling! Along the course, everyone thought I couldn't possibly feel good because I was running a 6 hour pace and taking walk breaks, but I felt awesome. It's proof that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. We just have to run our own races. The field in this race was fast, so by the time I reached the finish, I had it mostly to myself. Still, I finished exactly when I thought I would, at 6:04, and I still felt good, worlds better than I did four years ago. Now that I know 1/1 works, I'm out to prove that NYC in 2006 wasn't a fluke!

I am a two-time marathoner!

Here comes Hartford..

I was feeling quite ill at the beginning of the week, and work has been crazy, so my mind has been all over the place. Monday morning, I was seriously considering not running this Saturday. By lunch time, I convinced myself that I would try to run the half instead if I wasn't feeling 100%. But now it's Wednesday and I'm so stressed out with work that I think I might NEED to run a marathon on Saturday, just to leave all this frustration out on the course. I'm not feeling 100% yet, so I don't think I'll know until the expo Friday night if I'll run the half or the full, but now I feel like I just want to get out there and do it. The range of emotions one feels before an event like this is just amazing. Is this just pre-run jitters?

Tapering

I'm tapering, sort of. Not for New York, but for Hartford in two weeks. It's weird to run a marathon to prepare for another marathon, but that's how Galloway rolls, I guess. I am starting to have some pre-race jitters, all those thoughts that pop up just often enough to distract me from all the other stuff I have going on. What if I have pain? What if my toenails fall off? What if I can't finish in the 6 hour time limit and nobody is at the finish to cheer me in? Truthfully, none of that really matters. I'm just going to do my best. It'll be fun to run a new course and to see the CT contingent along the way. There WILL be people cheering me on regardless of how long it takes me to finish.

Today's run was supposed to be a leisurely 2 loops around Prospect Park. I decided to sleep in and do it on my own. When I got to the park, though, there was an inline skating race going on, which meant a pack of people zooming around and around the park in spandex. It was pretty crazy to see, and a little scary as they passed all the runners and cyclists out enjoying the warm weather. I thought I was going to be run over at least twice, but I survived. I finished the run rather uneventfully. Next week is another short one, and then it's on to Hartford!

6 weeks to go!

I was looking at my training schedule this morning, and after our 22 miler yesterday, I have one long run left before the NYC marathon on 11/7. (That long run happens to be the Hartford marathon on 10/9, but that's another story, I guess). Yesterday's 22 miler went quite well, all things considered. The course was a little complicated, but we made it through. We started at 72nd and 5th, headed east to the river (beautiful views from the path there), up to 96th street and back over to the park. We did a loop of the park and headed back to 72nd and 5th, where our first aid stop was (mile 8). The fabulous volunteers had potato chips again, and I made sure to eat some. I think they might be my wonder food. Seriously. I don't eat chips in my real life, but during a long run, all bets are off.

After a brief respite at the aid stop, we headed east again, down first avenue to 34th street and over to the path along the FDR. Passing the UN was pretty cool. Preparations for the General Assembly week ahead were in full swing. I always find the UN inspiring. Some of my other teammates feel differently, but as long as we talk about running and stay away from politics, we should be ok.

Anyway, we continued on our way down the east side, to our second aid stop at Catherine Street, by the South Street Seaport (mile 14). I had some chips and a couple peanut butter-filled pretzels. Very tasty. (By the way, I wonder how much water and Gatorade I consume during one of these epic runs. I really should keep track).

After aid stop #2, we circled lower Manhattan and headed north up the Westside Highway. I have to say, I hate finishing a run on the WSH because I know exactly how much further I have left to go. That is a big drag when you've already done 18 miles and are anxious to get done. We finally made it to 72nd street (those stairs out of Riverside Park are brutal) and completed our 22 miles, according to Mary's GPS. By that point, the bottoms of my feet were really hurting, but otherwise, I felt good. We decided to walk the last part of our course, across the park to 5th avenue. The route said the total mileage was 22.5 miles, but I think it was closer to 23 once all was said and done. Can I really imagine doing another 5k? I'm not sure.

We started with 14 runners at 6:30am, and by the second aid stop, quite a few had left us. By the end of the run, there were 6 of us left, the proud and the strong. Nice job, ladies! In total, we were out for about 6 hours and 15 minutes, but we stopped quite a bit. I'm not sure I'll match my time from 2006, but that's not really that important to me. I care more about feeling better at the finish than I did 4 years ago, and better the day after. Today I felt really good, and even better after a yoga class in Prospect Park. Last one for the season, which means fall is almost here. Fall=marathon season!

Back, after a short hiatus

From posting, that is. But I've still been running. Since our 20 miler at the end of August, I've come back from vacation and settled more or less back into my routine. Work has been really busy and stressful and I've had a lot of other stuff going on. For the last two weekends, I've felt like I needed to sleep in on Saturday mornings rather than trek into the city for runs with the group. Since the runs are shorter, it has been easy to do them on my own. My route has been two loops of Prospect Park (approximately 7 miles) both weeks, followed by a trip to my favorite coffee truck and the farmers' market. As much as I've appreciated the 'me' time, I do miss the group. I'm looking forward to meeting up with them next weekend for our 23 miler, though I'm dreading the distance a little bit. 28 days to go until the Hartford marathon on 10/9, and just under two months until NYC on 11/7. Then, a much- deserved rest!

20 miles, done and done!

This was our route for yesterday's 20 miler, courtesy of our weekly email from De:

Directions:

-Start at 16th street & Union Square west
-Run south on Union Square west to 14th St.
-Run West on 14th st. to WSH
-Run WSH to end (Battery Place)
-Run across Battery Place to Broadway & go north past the Charging Bull
-Run past Charging Bull to Park Place, which is where you enter the footpath to the Brooklyn Bridge
-run the Brooklyn Bridge to end
-make a right on Tillary street
-make a left Cadman Plaza (you will pass Borough Hall)
-take Cadman Plaza to Court Street (there is a Starbucks on your left)
-take Court Street & turn left on Union St.
-take straight to Union St. to Prospect Park
AID STOP
-One loop of Prospect Park
AID STOP
-Prospect park to Union St.
-Make a right on Court St.
-make a slight left to Cadman Plaza
-take Cadman Plaza to Tillary St.
-make a left on Tillary st. to the Brooklyn Bridge
-run across the Brooklyn Bridge
-make right on Park Row
-make a left at the top of city hall which is Chambers st.
-Run all the way across Chambers to WSH
-WSH to 14th st
-14th st. to the Start - the 16th street & Union Square west

I did almost nothing last week to prepare for the run, other than rest (and go to yoga with Laura and Jenna Bush. Really). I was on vacation, after all. Maybe that was preparation in itself, but I'm sure that was why I felt sluggish through most of the run. Surprisingly, I wasn't really dealing with pain, which was great. I think I ate my Lara bar too early in the run and my stomach was acting up. By the time we got to Brooklyn, I wanted to stop and go home. It didn't help that I live right by the park and could see my apartment. I had some potato chips at the second aid stop and those made a huge difference. It had to be the salt. Who knew that chips could be such a super food?!

Nearly 6 hours later, we arrived back in Union Square, 20 miles done. What a great feeling, to see the green market ahead of us at 16th street, knowing we were at the finish! Bev the psychiatrist's "medication" (tic-tacs in a medicine bottle) kept us laughing the entire time. After it was over, we trekked to Whole Foods to pick up some provisions. Chocolate milk tastes really delicious after a long run, I realized. When I got home, I took a fabulous 3 hour nap. It's back to a normal routine tomorrow, but I still have one day of vacation left!

Vacation!

I breathed a huge sigh of relief yesterday as I left work. I haven't had a vacation to speak of since May 2009. That can't happen again. Very excited to head up to Maine for a few days of rest and family.

This morning, I woke up crazy early as per usual. We were meeting at 6:30 for a 6-8 mile run. My group decided to do 7 miles at 2/1 intervals. We did a lower loop of the park then headed east over the Queensborough Bridge. That's mile 15 of the marathon, and one of the toughest parts of the whole course. First of all, it's a huge hill, and there are no spectators, only a dark tunnel full of tired runners. All you can hear on marathon Sunday is the sound of feet leading up to the mayhem of First Ave. Today we ran on the pedestrian path from Manhattan over to Queens and back. It was wall of noise; cars on one side, subways on the other. I felt pretty good for most of the run, but that bridge DOES feel really long, even after 5 miles! I led the group back to Manhattan, mostly because Nick didn't have a watch, and it was pretty weird to be at the head of a single-file line with the whole bridge in front of me. We were back in Central Park shortly. Overall, it was a beautiful day and a great run. Definitely good practice for the marathon.

...and now vacation starts for real!

Another awesome medal thanks to Michael C.

We all deserved a medal after our 18 miler Saturday. Here is what Michael came up with this week!

Any idea what my dream means?

The alarm woke me this morning from a terrible dream I was having about being late and unprepared for the NYC marathon. For some reason, my dad was with me in the dream and we were racing (ha) to get to the starting line in the last bus allowed across the bridge. In my dream, I didn't have my number or my watch and I was panicking because, as far as I know, it is not possible to do intervals without a watch. Then I woke up. I don't know if we made it to the start or not.

Dreams about being late and unprepared are supposed to mean something, but I don't know what. Add the marathon in there and I'm just confused. I don't usually remember my dreams, but this one stuck.

The choices we make for the things we love

Running, like most things in life, is about choices for me. It often causes me pain and a lot of people have told me that I should consider not doing it. But it's important to me. I can't really explain why, and a lot of people don't get it. I'm lucky that my physical therapist understands and hasn't told me to stop flat out. However, she has mentioned the dilemma a few times. We've talked quite a bit about the anti-inflammatories, one of many tools in my 'toolbox'. The thing is, I don't want to be on medication forever. There's no particular reason other than I don't like medication. But it does make a huge difference. So much so, in fact, that I decided to go back up to 2 doses a day. I've been really uncomfortable for the past few weeks since tapering down to once a day, so I consulted with the doctor and with my dad, and I had to make a choice: do the activity I love with the help of medication, or stop doing the activity that I love.

It seems like an easy decision when I write it that way, but it wasn't. Anyway, I decided to go back up to 2x a day, but I was still concerned about tackling 18 miles yesterday. I've been feeling really achy, plus tired and stressed from work, which didn't help. (I do have a vacation coming up, which I am confident will do wonders). The renegade group ran Friday morning, but I was too busy planning a farewell for a dear co-worker to join them. So I went to bed at 8:30pm and got up at 4am for a 6:15am meeting time on Saturday morning. I felt better after a good night's sleep, but I really had to fight to shake off the nerves I felt.

We started with a 5 mile loop in CP, then exited the park at 72nd street and ran to Park Avenue, which was closed to traffic as part of Summer Streets. It was so awesome to see all of Park stretching out ahead of us, full of runners and bikers and all kinds of cool booths alongside us. I love seeing the city from another angle. We ran past the doorman buildings, through midtown (through the tunnel at GCT), down to Union Square to 4th Avenue to Lafayette Street, all closed to cars. I almost felt like I was running down First Ave on marathon Sunday, minus the gazillion spectators. We ran past the Brooklyn Bridge to Park Row, to Broadway, past the bull statue by Bowling Green, where De was parked with a car stocked full of Gatorade and snacks. I made a beeline for the fig newtons before we took off back up the West Side Highway. We took a few extra walk breaks towards the end, but eventually we ended up back at 72nd Street. It took us 5 hours of 1/1 intervals, but we did the 18! The end on the West Side felt particularly long because we could see every block as we passed, but we made it. I am a true believer in the power of anti-inflammatories. My knee hurt a little by the end, but all in all, I felt much better than I thought I would. I took an ice bath and a nap when I got home, but I've been up and about today and was able to go to yoga in the park this morning, which felt fabulous.

Here are a few other cool/random things that we saw yesterday:
1) Al Roker riding his bike on the WSH.
2) A girl in a sparkly ensemble hula-hooping alongside the foot path.
3) Two Asian gentlemen in full business attire out for a jog along Park Avenue.
4) A water station in SoHo providing NYC tap water (supposedly the best in the world) to runners passing by. There was even a little dog dish underneath.

I hope I made the right decision, increasing the medication. Every day is different. Next week is a shorter week, and then we're up to 20 miles in two Saturdays. We'll see. The marathon is getting closer and closer!

Sometimes you just have to sleep in

Today was one of those days. It was a long week, and when De's email came on Wednesday with the details of this morning's run, the idea of hauling it uptown for a 6:45am 6-8 miler was just not appealing. I figured I could handle the distance on my own and that I would sleep in a little. This morning I rolled out of bed at 8:30 and headed out to Prospect Park. It was gorgeous out. Not too hot, much drier than the past few days. I took it easy: two loops of the park for a total of 7 miles in 1/1 intervals. Still haven't been feeling 100%, but my visits to PT last week helped a lot. To cap off my run, I visited the farmers' market and picked up some local peaches. Yum! All in all, it was a good morning.

In other news, I signed up for the Hartford marathon on 10/9/10. We're scheduled to run 26 miles that day. The Galloway folks like to say that if we're running 26 miles, we'd better get a medal for it. The course time limit is 6 hours. I'll use all that time and just get the mileage in before I start tapering for NYC on 11/7/10.

Next week: 18 miles. Yikes.

Another medal, courtesy of Michael C.

16 Miler (aka The Run That Would Not End)

Yesterday was our 16 miler. It was an absolutely gorgeous day: cool with a breeze. We met on the UWS. I decided to do 1/1 with Mary, George and some other folks. I figured it was better to take it easy. I haven't been feeling well the past few days, and I've been a little achy since tapering the medication. I stayed home Friday night to ice my knees in anticipation of Saturday morning, but I was still a little concerned about how it would go.

Anyway, we did five miles in the park before heading up the West Side. I never knew about the greenway when I lived in that neighborhood. Only now do I realize what I was missing! A great path, beautiful views of the water and the bridge. Just gorgeous. Right around mile 7, we started to get a little antsy for the aid stop at the halfway point (the Fairway parking lot). I was very happy to see our volunteers with a van fully stocked with water, Gatorade, fig newtons, and other goodies. We took a quick bathroom break at Fairway. The weird looks we got were pretty funny. Was it our beeping watches or our fuel belts, I wonder?

We set off after Fairway up the greenway to the Little Red Lighthouse by the GWB. This is where the run started to feel really long. According to our route, the lighthouse was 3 miles past the Fairway stop, but it felt like 10 miles. Mary and I said that the lighthouse fairies were moving it. My hip and knee were really starting to ache. We finally arrived at the lighthouse at mile 11 and turned around. Our next landmark was Fairway (again), where we stopped briefly for water and Gatorade. After that, we kept going downtown along the water. This time, the breeze was at our backs. It was pretty crowded with cyclists and we were looking at every turnoff wondering if it was ours. By the time we arrived at 88th street, we were psychologically spent. We passed the group ahead of us at 86th street and Riverside Drive, heading west, back to our stopping point at the park. According to Mary's GPS, the run was more like 17 or 17.5 miles. I can't tell if it felt longer because the mileage was off or because my legs hurt and my mind was elsewhere.

I grabbed a sandwich and a banana before getting on the train back to Brooklyn. By then, I was in no mood for the ride back. Crowded, hot subway, 25 minute wait for the 2 train at Times Square, screaming children. I finally got home and laid around like a slug all afternoon. It was awesome, except for the knee pain. Is it possible to wrap up completely in ice packs?

I'm so glad 16 is over. Only 14 more weeks left to go until 11/7. I can't believe it. We drop down to 6-8 miles next week and then tackle 18 after that. I hope it goes more smoothly than yesterday did.

Heat wave!

It is unbearably hot in NYC. It has been for several weeks. I don't remember last summer being this bad. Then again, I wasn't training for a marathon last summer. Anyway, Saturday morning was a shorter run after last week's trek down the west side. We met at 6:45 in Central Park and did five miles. We had the option to add the "magic mile", but nobody wanted to do that. I feel like I sweat off at least 10 lbs! (Oh, if only that were true, right?)

One of the suggestions Andrea Moss made when we met is that I switch my Gatorade for coconut water because coconut water doesn't have artificial sweetners. Yesterday, the coconut water I carried with me didn't last very long. I'm experimenting with different flavors. So far, I like the plain and the peach mango. Yum.

After the run, we had a clinic on running form with Mary from Jack Rabbit. She gave us some exercises to do, so if you see me skipping in the park, don't be alarmed. She talked about balance, arm carriage, and foot positioning, too. I'll have to talk to my physical therapist about everything she said, because I'm sure my issues with running form have to do with what we're already working on. Mary also said that we should work on getting our strides up to 90/minute in order to maximize efficiency when we run. I've never counted strides and have no idea where I am, so I'm curious to try it. It has nothing to do with speed, but will allow me to conserve energy during races.

Lastly, I'm tapering off the medication. I'm down to once a day from twice. We'll see how I feel. Hoping for the best!

Settling in

I'm finally settling into my new place and loving it. Just got online at home, so I am a bit overdue on the update from last week's 14 miler. I met up with the breakaway group at 6am Friday morning (my parents were coming to town, so Saturday morning wouldn't have worked). The 6am start (at Columbus Circle) meant an insanely early departure from Brooklyn, but I was grateful once we got going that we were on the road before the heat of the day. And it was HOT. By 7:30am, I was already dragging, and we had quite a few miles to go. Lynn, super pace group leader, planned out our route along the West Side Highway because it has Gatorade vending machines, bathrooms, a breeze...and it's flat. Way to go, Lynn! It was beautiful along the water, and the group was great company. I couldn't have asked for better running companions!

By the end of the run, we were all pretty tired but feeling proud of our accomplishments. Later on the day, Michael, a first-time marathoner, designed a medal for us.



That's Sargent Friday with a 14. Very clever! Thank you, Michael, for the medal! It was a hot day, but we did it. The Jamba Juice I had afterward tasted delicious!

Christmas in July

Seriously, I am so excited this weekend is finally here. I can hardly stand it. I feel like a five- year- old on Christmas morning. Two friends have said, separately, that I look happier than I have in a year. I can't wait for a fresh start in the new place. Lots to do to get organized, but I think it will be fun.

I think it was all the excitement that got me out of bed this morning. I got up earlier than past Saturdays (4:45) in order to be on the Upper East Side by 6:45. As the runs get longer and the weather hotter, we meet earlier. It was pretty painful, I have to say. Everyone else in the world, it seems, is going to be at that hour! I made it uptown while still half asleep and ran a loop of the reservoir with Mary before the group arrived. We had the option to do extra mileage today, and I was glad to do it before the group run because it was so disgustingly humid outside. The reservoir is beautiful and the lap around it woke me up enough to finish five miles with the team. In total, I guess I did about 6.6 miles today. I felt pretty good afterwards, and spent all afternoon moving stuff over to the new place and dodging runaway shopping carts at Target.

This week I have my nutrition consultation with Andrea Moss from Spark! Wellness. I have a lot of questions for her about how I can get enough energy during the day, especially during the training season. I don't eat a lot of meat, so getting enough protein is always a concern. I'm hoping she has some creative ideas, and I will be sure to report back.

Parents are coming to town next weekend to help me settle in, and Dad wants to run with the team on Saturday morning. We'll see what he decides. We're doing 14 miles. Stay tuned...

happy 4th weekend!

I was dragging this morning (it was a very long week), but I was happy when I got to the park for our run. It was gorgeous out and the park was almost deserted. It is a holiday after all, and everyone leaves town. The rest of the week is supposed to be really hot, so we lucked out this morning. There was a cool breeze and it wasn't too humid. Anyway, we did 4 miles plus a "Magic Mile" around the oval. I shaved two minutes off my MM time! It's supposed to be a tool to predict finishing time for longer races. I did today's in 10:30, which is a little bit slower than my fastest 10k pace. About right, considering we ran 2 miles before it and 2 miles afterwards. At that pace, I am poised to break 6 hours at the marathon, and I'm hoping to get a little faster as the season progresses. I'd like to match (or beat) my time from 2006, if I can.

I'm feeling much better than I have in a long time. Part of that is the medication, the other part is my improved mood because of my upcoming move. Also, as much as I dread getting up early, I feel a sense of accomplishment by running with a team again. I really missed it during my rather long hiatus!

Brooklyn run!

This morning's run was in my neighborhood, so I got to serve as a tour guide of sorts for all the folks who never cross the river from Manhattan. We met at City Hall at 6:45am (an earlier start than usual because of the distance and the heat). We started at 7: ran over the Brooklyn Bridge (my favorite spot in the city; I will never get tired of the beauty of the bridge and the view from it), to Cadman Plaza, to Tillary Street, through Cobble Hill, over the Gowanus Canal (which smells when it is 80 degrees out, by the way) to Prospect Park and back to Manhattan. Our whole run, including one loop of Prospect Park, was 12 miles. We started at 2 and 1 intervals and dropped down to 1 and 1 at the halfway mark because it was just too hot. I showed the group my new apartment (!) and suggested that we run clockwise around Prospect Park to avoid the big hill. Everyone was very willing to go along with that idea. George said he would put me in his will in appreciation, and Christine, a former estate lawyer, said she could make that happen. Hilarious.

Road ID

I got a Road ID recently, and I thought it warranted a post. I also got my dad one for Father's Day. (Happy Father's Day, Dad!) These are cool little wrist or shoe tags that you can get that have your name, town, and emergency contact information on them. I put my friend Sarah on there so I'd have somebody local along with immediate family. She is prepared to sit by the phone on Saturday mornings, right Sarah?

We all need to run safely, so definitely check out the Road ID: www.roadid.com

10 miles and "energy cookies"

I have to start every post, of course, with a comment on how early the alarm went off and how hot it was by the start of the run. With that out of the way, today was a gorgeous day for a 10 miler in central park. We did the outer loop, followed by the inner loop. By mile 8, I wanted to stop running, but I kept at it thanks to the group. I think it's time for new shoes; the bottoms of my feet were definitely feeling it by the end!

We had a clinic with a nutritionist after the 10 miler. She had some great suggestions on foods that give us eneregy: coconut water instead of gatorade (no artificial sweetner), greens, proteins. It was food for thought. (Teehee). We had awesome "energy cookies" waiting for us at the clinic. The recipe is below, thanks to Andrea Moss of Spark! Wellness. They were delicious! I signed up for a 45 minute consultation with her through the team. I will be sure to report back.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Cookies (these were delicious!)
3 large ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1.5 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c coconut oil--barely warm, so it isn't solid (or you can use olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal (you can make your own by pulsing almonds in a blender until they are the texture of sand)
1/3 c coconut, finely shredded and unsweetened.
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine grained sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
6-7 ounces dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks on top third.

In a large bowl, combine bananas, vanilla extract and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. The dough is a bit looser than regular cookie dough, but don't worry. Drop dollops of dough, each about 2 tsp in size, an inch apart onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-25 minutes, depending on your oven, until cookie bottoms turn golden. Be careful not to burn them.

Makes about 3 dozen bite sized cookies.

What a fantastic weekend!

The family was down in DC this weekend to celebrate John's 80th birthday. It was great, a wonderful gathering in honor of a wonderful man. I arrived Friday night and Dad and I got up early Saturday morning to tackle 4 miles before it got TOO hot. (It was already 75 degrees at 7am). We ran out and back on the trail near the hotel (too many of us to stay at John's!), which was pretty good. It was an old railroad bed, so it was perfectly flat. I felt MUCH better than I have in weeks. The doctor put me on a time-released anti- inflammatory, and I am moving with much less pain. I almost forgot what it's like not to hurt. (Terrible, isn't it? I have so much respect for people with physical limitations). Anyway, Dad and I had a great run (well, run/walk). I love that he is out there with me!

The rest of the day was really awesome, too. Not about running, but worth sharing anyway. We went over to Arlington to wish Pop-pop a happy father's day. It was the first time I'd seen the marker since the burial. Arlington is such a confusing place, moving and heartbreaking at the same time. I am grateful to the armed forces, but I just wish everyone there died of old age like Pop-pop. We paid our respects and then went over to the Korean War memorial and had lunch near the GW campus (my old 'hood--for just a year). Chris was with us, and he said that we walked about 5 miles, so Saturday ended up being a longer mileage day than I planned. Still, by the end of all that, much less pain!

The party was amazing. John was so touched by everyone's presence. We ate, laughed, played music, and told stories. Lots of people shared memories of Mimi, too, which is always great for us. All the grandparents were with us this weekend!

feels like summer!

It's early June, but it felt like August during this morning's run. Sticky, sticky! We met in front of Jack Rabbit on the upper east side (which meant another very early departure from Brooklyn) for 8 miles. The course was cool: over to the park, north to 111th street, east to the FDR drive, over to the footpath, down to 60th street, and back to 84th/Jack Rabbit. It was so cool to run down the east side--I never go over there--and to see the Queensboro Bridge in the distance. I was remembering miles 14 and 15 of the marathon over that bridge. There are no spectators, so all you can hear are the feet of fellow runners. Very powerful, especially since the bridge is almost completely dark. Anyway, the lovely people at Jack Rabbit had a shoe clinic for us after the run, before the store opened. They had bagels for us (yum!) and gave us a discount on everything in the store. I stocked up on some gear, for sure.

8 miles felt pretty good! I was very happy, especially given all the aches and pains I've been feeling, which has also caused a fair amount of anxiety. I'm going to the doctor this week, so hopefully I'm going to get some answers and possible solutions. I'm optimistic that I'll be able to keep running. Talking to De last week and having a good run today made me feel better. I came home, stretched, iced, and spent a lovely afternoon walking around with minimal discomfort, so that's an improvement.

Next weekend, 3-5 with Dad in DC while we're all there for a family gathering.

One foot in front of the other...

It's been a tough few weeks. Briefly: fantastic physical therapist suggested that I have a physical because she wondered if I had something else going on other than running-related injuries. I'm in pain a lot and not healing as quickly as I'd like. I went to the doctor and am in the process of exploring my options and collecting information. Nothing concrete yet, but I feel like I'm on track toward getting some answers. My PT said that the doctors may tell me that I shouldn't be running, which was very upsetting. She told me to prepare me for the possibility, but I didn't want to hear it. I don't know that for sure yet, so I'm going to do what I can until I have a definitive directive. Of course, I see the bigger picture, and if I have to choose between running right now and feeling good in the long term, I will go with long term. I go back and forth between being terrified by the unknown and hopeful that it's nothing serious and/or nothing I can't manage.

I got a little bit of hope today when I talked to our program director after our 6 mile run. (We were supposed to do 5, but our pace leader led us the wrong way and we added a mile). She told me that she has similar issues to what the doctors think I may have, and that she still manages to run marathons. It was great to make that connection with her, to get some support, and to know what questions to ask when I go for appointments. I'll definitely be asking about diet and vitamins, etc. I'm certainly feeling a little less freaked out than I did earlier in the week.

Today's run included a "magic mile", which is supposed to be a predictor of marathon pace. We did it in the middle of our 6 mile run, and I took it easy. According to the chart, my marathon time will be about an hour and a half slower than my 2006 time. I don't think that's quite accurate, but on the other hand, I'm just trying to make it to the start. Having a time goal at this point just doesn't make any sense.

One foot in front of the other...

More gear

There's a rumor going around that you only need sneakers to run. Whoever started that rumor is obviously lying. I have accumulated more gear since I started running longer distances than I ever thought possible (or necessary, until I started using all of it). Shoes, shorts with pockets, fuel belts (to carry water and gels), SPI belts (to carry all my stuff), ipod holders, gu/gel, ID tags, body glide, hats, wicking clothes, special socks... you get the idea. The latest acquisition: a Timex watch with two interval timers so I can do the run/walk thing this year. I took it out for a little spin on Friday in Maine and I like it so far. But who knows, I may be hearing beeping in my sleep by the time November 7th arrives!

week 2!

5:30am felt extra early this morning after I didn't sleep well last night. But I made it up to the Upper East Side for our 4 mile run in Central Park at 7:45am. I saw some familiar faces from last week, and met some new people. I think the pace groups will be pretty well formulated soon, but there is flexibility to speed up or slow down depending on how we're feeling on a particular day. I ran with the 13s again today (comfortable mile pace +2 minutes, the Galloway rule). It was perfect out, sunny and breezy, and I felt much better than last week. (Amen to that!)

After the run, I took the time to stretch the way Gopi (super physical therapist) has been showing me. She has different thoughts on stretching than some of the Galloway folks do. I trust her and stretching makes me feel better, so I'm sticking with what I know. I'm reminded of Coach Adam's refrain, "Don't do anything different during the marathon than you did during your long runs!" So, stretching it is. And coffee (and water!) immediately following!

Next week, 5 miles in Maine, since I'll be there to celebrate B's "graduation" (in quotes because he has an internship until July) from UNH. Maybe I can get Dad to run/walk with me!

Run #1 = fun

I got up at 5:30am this morning to make it to Central Park for our first training run, an easy 3 miles. I was cursing the early hour a little bit, and wondering if I really wanted to give up all Friday night plans between now and November 7th, but I think it'll be worth it. Truthfully, there is no way I am making it to the start without a team and a structure to get me there. The goal of this morning's run was to see if this run/walk method would even work for me. Everybody on the Galloway team swears by it, and for someone as injury prone as I am, it seems like a good approach.

I arrived at our meeting place and was immediately surrounded by what seems to be a very friendly, supportive, and diverse group. It is so inspiring to see runners of all ages and paces working toward a goal together! I felt pretty good as we got underway. I was surprised, actually, at how nice it felt to be back out there. Those walk breaks were a great recharge. My legs appreciated them! I felt a couple tweaks in my knees by the end, but with some stretching and some ice, I'll be ok. (If Fred Lebow could run the NYC marathon after having brain cancer, I can run it again despite all of my issues!) Now I'm off to brunch with one of my favorite people in the entire world. It feels great to accomplish so much before 10am. That nap I'm going to take this afternoon will be excellent, too.

Run for Your Life

Watching a documentary on Fred Lebow, founder of the NYC marathon, tonight to get inspired for tomorrow's kickoff with the Galloway program. It's been a loooong time since I've run with any regularity, so I'm a little nervous about getting back out there. But I 'm optimistic that the Galloway run/walk/run approach will work. We'll see if I can run/walk my way, injury free, to 26.2 on 11/7/10!