Running with Rachel Zoe

I did 8 miles today on the elliptical at the gym. I've never done that before, but I figured it was better than struggling through a long run in the park. I've been plagued by quite a few injuries lately, so I thought this was for the best. I felt pretty good after my 1 3/4 hours, if not bored out of my mind. Special thanks to Rachel Zoe and the Planet Money podcast for helping me through!

ugh

today was probably the worst run on record. i felt awful. i didn't finish all the mileage, and it was supposed to be at 10k. oh well. i know what i did wrong: ate too big a breakfast and didn't wait long enough afterwards, didn't drink enough water prior and didn't bring water with me, and went too late in the morning, when it was already hot. (i decided to sleep in instead). several strikes against me! i'm calling today a throw away, and i'm going to rest for the remainder of the weekend. i have 4 weeks from tomorrow to get it together.

Just over a month to go!

The Portland half-marathon is October 4, and I am slowly amping up my mileage. I ran 7 miles at the beach in Maine two weekends ago (Dad hung in there for 6 with me!) and I almost conquered 8 last weekend. I say almost because my knee started to hurt and I had to walk the last little bit. I did do 8, though, and I had delicious Mexican food afterwards. Lunch of champions!

This week has been a light week, which has been nice. This weekend I'm resting, only doing one shorter run on Sunday instead of my usual two workouts. I remember when I felt like running a half was like nothing. It's amazing how long it takes to get back up to that kind of mileage! B is a little further along in his training than I am--he's already up to 10 miles. But I'm not focusing on that, or how much faster he is. (But we did joke about how he'll have time to go get brunch and then come back and watch me finish!) Just have to take my own advice, run my own race, and prove that I can do this again!

The wall

Picture the scene from "Run, Fat Boy, Run": Simon Pegg encounters a giant stone wall during his marathon and had to throw his entire body weight into it to pass through to the other side and keep running. That didn't quite happen to me today, but I have been experiencing a lack of energy lately. I realized this afternoon as I was laboring through 4 miles on the treadmill (it was too hot to run outside) that a possible explanation may be the proverbial wall. How else do I account for taking a nap on Saturday afternoon in front of Top Chef when I should've been out doing 6 miles?

The half marathon is 7 weeks away, so the wall, as frustrating as it is, is appropriate. Seriously, though, not even intervals on the treadmill or "The Fabulous Life" on VH1 were enough to make the workout more tolerable today. I will not take a nap on Saturday. Instead, I will make up the 6 mile run and skip the speed workout on the calendar for this week in an effort to add some mileage. Funny, there was a time when I felt totally confident in my ability to run a half. Not now! It's been a process to get back out there, for sure. Wish me luck pushing through the wall!

GRBA 5k with Dad

I love how excited and victorious he looks!

Mini 10k!

7000 women+10k+medal+flower= great day

There was something really beautiful and powerful about running with all those women. Not to sound cheesy, but the crowd at the starting line represented women of all ages, nationalities, sizes and paces. All of us have a love for running in common. What a cool thing. I have no idea why the race is called the Mini 10k, but apparently it started sometime in the 70s with only 78 participants. Today we were out there 7000 strong. And the guys were on the sidelines cheering us on.

Japan Day 4M

Photos courtesy of D, who got up early to come with me to the start. I'm in the photo if you look closely. It's like "Where's Waldo?" for race spectators.

After not running for a couple weeks due to vacation etc, the Japan Day 4M was a great race. I PR'd again at a pace of 10:17 per mile. That may not seem fast, but it is for me! I left everything I had in the park that day. Then I went to a diner and had some eggs and took a nap in front of the tv. Sweet. 7 down, 2 more to go to qualify for the 2010 marathon!

A very Scottish Saturday

I was a little nervous about Saturday's Scotland Homecoming 10k (where does NYRR come up with these names?) because I haven't raced that distance in quite awhile and my knee has been bothering me lately. I spent Friday night stretching and icing (and worrying, to be honest). I guess the first two paid off--Saturday morning went really well, and I PR'd during the 10k! (1.06.21). Slow, yes, but almost 45 seconds faster per minute than my normal pace. Even better, my knee didn't hurt nearly as much as it did during the Colon Cancer Challenge (There's that NYRR naming thing again. Incidentally, I am planning to give the shirt from that race to my father. I think he will appreciate that given his profession).

The challenge for Saturday was definitely the weather--the very wet, chilly, Scottish weather. The announcer kept saying that the day came free of charge courtesy of the Scottish chamber of commerce or something, and NYRR was trying to give us the authentic Scottish experience. Still, there were bagpipers. The rain was not necessary, thanks. It was pretty hilarious to see all these people running in their Scottish flag-adorned ponchos and hats (in the bag of swag we got for registering). I almost forgot how wet and frozen I was as I watched the crowd ahead of me. And of course, there was quite a large crowd ahead of me!

Anyway, I was really proud of myself for PR'ing and finishing so strong despite the conditions. My knee is a little sore now, but I'll deal. I think this is race #5 in my quest for guaranteed entry into the 2010 marathon. I have another next weekend, so we'll see how that goes. In the meantime, it's back to the ice and the foam roller for this knee!

i found a friend...

maggie decided to join me during my post-run stretching routine after B and I tackled the castle island loop in southie.

a new chapter

I've been thinking about trying to run more seriously again for awhile now. My new year's resolution, if you can call it that, was to find a way into the NYC marathon again. I didn't try for 2007, didn't get into 2008, and am not in shape enough to run in 2009. But I did join NYRR in January after resisting for ages, partially because of the way I felt they mistreated Coach Adam back in 2006. But resistance is futile--they're the only game in town if you want guaranteed entry, so I gave in. A few weeks ago, I ran my first NYRR race, the gridiron classic. Superbowl Sunday morning in Central Park, 4 miles in the freezing cold. I couldn't feel my toes for the first mile and a half, but it was great. I was proud and happy to finish and I had my cheering section of one meet me at the finish line.

Fast forward to this morning. The Al Gordon Snowflake 5k in Prospect Park. I don't usually do 5ks because I prefer distance. (It's not as embarrassing to run slowly during longer races, but during a 5k, everyone goes quite fast). I was really excited, though, because it was so close to my house. But something just didn't feel right. I was tired, it was FREEZING, and each mile felt longer than the last. (Seriously, it might have been the longest 5k I've ever done). I couldn't feel my toes for most of the race, which made it quite a challenge. (I don't think I realized how important toes really are!) Maybe it was that I went in thinking it would be no big deal, over in half an hour etc that got me in trouble. I guess the lesson here is that I need to take each race as seriously as the last. The whole time I was running, I kept reminding myself that I just need to do this, to get back out there, to put one foot in front of the other, if I really want to run another marathon. What's a marathon but a whole bunch of short races strung together, right?

Now that I'm home in my warm apartment, I'm happy I did it. Of course, I'm going to have good days and bad days, but each race will bring me closer to fall 2010. Here's to proving 2006 wasn't a fluke!

the brooklyn half--sort of

I set out for my usual Saturday morning run in Prospect Park and was very surprised to find masses of people running the Brooklyn half marathon along my route. (That's right, it's MY route! ;)) I should've remembered, since my coworker told me a few days ago that she was running it. Anyway, I wondered what to do for a quick second, and then I figured I would just run alongside the course. As long as I didn't try to win a la Rosie Ruiz (seems particularly fitting given the Boston marathon a few weeks ago!) it shouldn't be a problem. As I ran mile 9-13 of the course, I got a little swept up in the energy of race day. All these people were cheering and urging us on. Us, right, like I worked as hard as the people who actually ran an entire half marathon today! It made me remember how much I miss racing (and by 'racing, I mean endurance running, since we've established that I am not fast).

I cut out of the park at Grand Army Plaza and ran through the farmer's market and past a million baby carriages. And that is a typical Saturday in Brooklyn, if not an entirely typical run for me!

B runs Boston

In the spirit of the family marathon tradition, my brother took on 26.2 in Boston this past Monday. Here are some photos of his cheering section at the halfway mark (let me tell you, a lot of work went into those signs!) and of B running past us. He finished--any runner's goal for the first marathon. Way to go, B!

starting over...

I've taken a bit of a break from any hardcore running over the last few months and stuck to the gym and to yoga. I've run a little, but only about once a week and for a few miles at a time. Today was so beautiful that I opted to go for a loop of the park instead of to the gym. It finally felt like spring--the sun was shining, there was a breeze, it was opening day at the zoo, so there were families everywhere, all with little kids wearing animal masks. The trees were starting to bloom and all sorts of people were out playing soccer, biking, etc.

It felt great to be outside, but I just could not get a rhythm down. I don't know, I just wasn't feeling it. It was a struggle to finish 4 miles. My legs weren't tired, but I just didn't have the energy to keep going. I hate feeling like I'm starting over from square one in anticipation of next fall's marathon. (I haven't gotten in for sure yet, but I really want to run, either through the lottery or through charity). I really am starting from scratch, and the task feels daunting. If I couldn't comfortably run 4 miles today, how am I going to do 10, 12, 15, or 20?

I realize I'm being ridiculous, since I haven't been training, and I am the first person to say that we have to run our own races and start small. (I just wrote an article about that for a friend's blog). I'm just feeling a bit frustrated. I hope it'll pass as I add running back into my regular routine, and I hope I can stay strong and injury-free.

some photos from the NYC marathon 2007

Paula Radcliffe and Gete Wami, the two amazing women who will eventually take first and second in the women's division. (This picture was taken at mile 7, a mere 38 minutes into their marathon)

an adorable little kid near me who was giving passing runners a little extra support.

Mary and Emily, all set to cheer with their Jackrabbit noisemakers

one year ago tomorrow...

Tomorrow is marathon Sunday in New York City. I am so proud of my friends and teammates who are running, but I am heartbroken not to be among them. Friday night was our team dinner--Race with Purpose folks invited me to join them because I volunteered this season. I was so touched to be included, to still be considered part of the team even though I am not racing this year.

My friend Sarah, who was on staff at Team for Kids, is running with RWP tomorrow. She is amazing, and I feel truly lucky to know her. She's run two marathons for AIDS foundations, and tomorrow will be her third for charity. She is injured and hoping to finish in 5 1/2 to 6 hours, a 12-13 minute pace per mile. Despite her challenges, she is always smiling and ready with an inspiring word. Even so, she needed to be lifted up a little last night--she was anxious about her pacing and feeling that her performance would be diminished by other teammates' speedy showings out on the course tomorrow. Many of them have already qualified for Boston (running marathons in about 3:15 or so). I reminded Sarah (and myself, really) that we don't need to compare ourselves to the fastest teammates. I am never going to run a 3:15 marathon, or even a four hour one, for that matter. My body is not built for it. Sarah and I and other "slow" runners need to think of all those other people who can't even fathom running a marathon and remember that what we do is also extraordinary. In a lot of ways, it's harder for the slower folks to get out there and do it, and for many of us, we've come a long way to get where we are. (Remember when I hated running and couldn't last 15 minutes?)

Most of all, we need to run our own races, not anyone else's. This year's marathon is not my race, but that 7 miles I did this morning felt great and you can bet I'll be back in 2008. Tomorrow, I'll be on 4th avenue in Brooklyn holding pretzels for Sarah and cheering on my teammates as they race with purpose....

STRONG
BREATHE
RELAX
CADENCE
PATIENCE

invigorated (and not by running)

i know i usually write about running here, but i'm departing from that topic for this post. i had a great day today, despite the rain. the highlight was brunch with two extraordinary social workers. i was truly inspired by our conversation--your typical brunch banter about institutional oppression. all of us work in social services and we are challenged daily by the gatekeeping roles we play. on the one hand, we desire to work in solidarity with families and organizations, but we often fall into the trap of pathologizing our clients and failing to see them as whole people who are products of both genetics and society. my friend V said it best, "every time i write 'mom is depressed' on an assessment, i feel sick. we should change the wording to read 'mom is opressed.'" she is right--depression is the result of oppression, and we don't write that because it's not something we can fit neatly onto a service plan and change in 12 months of services.

all day, i have not stopped being grateful for these women. they have pushed me to challenge the oppression that i see in my work and to continue thinking about how i contribute to it through my actions. i really needed a reminder. complacency is my worst enemy.

how to get faster...

Lesson learned yesterday: being really pissed off makes me run REALLY fast. i seriously shaved about two minutes off my mile. as i passed my fellow brooklynites, i definitely got some funny looks. i'm sure they were thinking, "wow, what set this girl off?"

i felt much better afterwards. nothing a little sprint workout won't cure.

ps: go sox!

i can't explain it

it was such a beautiful day today. i love september in new york. it is still warm, but there is a crisp edge to the air that lets us know that something else is on the way. and today was the kind of day that makes me want to soak up the world a little more than i usually do.

i've been feeling sort of down lately, so i headed out to enjoy the sun. i'm not sure what it is-- maybe the transition from school to a full time job, or the fact that work has been utterly insane for the past two weeks. perhaps it's the other personal stuff i've been letting get to me a little too much. i thought a walk in the park might help. i visited a friend in connecticut yesterday, and getting out of the city did me a world of good. it was lovely to be somewhere else, and to be with someone familiar who gets me. still, i haven't fully relaxed in awhile, so i needed some time to myself. i can't say 'alone' because it's difficult to ever really be alone when there are people everywhere.

anyway,when i got to the park and started walking around the loop, something came over me. i ignored the tweak i've been feeling in my knee for the past few days and took off. i don't think i've run that fast since suffering through speed intervals last fall. shockingly, nothing hurt and i felt light on my feet. usually i clomp along rather ungracefully, but not today. i think i just needed to go, to push through everything i've been feeling, to get lost in the music on my ipod. i can't explain the compulsion i felt, or exactly what i was running away from, but that loop around the park made me feel so much better. it's amazing how that happens. i'm so glad i've found running as an outlet. what do the nonrunners do? :)

I am in love...

with brooklyn.

it's awesome. i love my new apartment (even the bunny farm next door, although it reminds me of the scene from "roger and me"), my new neighborhood, and my roommates. i love that prospect park is super close by, and that i just did a loop with my roomie. it's a great way to catch up about our days. but i am SO out of shape. i'd better figure that out, since there was a race starting as we were leaving tonight, and i really want to get my race on soon.

in the meantime, here's to lots more runs to explore the new (to me) borough!

when i look like i've run, but i haven't

it was really hot yesterday. really hot. and it had poured the night before. So much so, in fact, that the subways in NYC completely flooded. Perhaps you read about. When I came out of my apartment and realized the train downtown wouldn't be an option, I waited for a bus. Several passed by, but those were full. I found a friend who was also trying to figure out how to get to work, and we started walking in the humid grossness. It was disgusting. At one point, my friend turned to me and said "You look like you've just run ten miles." Great.

Luckily, when we got to 96th street, the 2/3 trains were running, but only as far as 34th. My friend could walk to work from there, but I still had a ways to go to get to the financial district. I decided to get off at 42nd and see if I could catch another train (someone told me there were some running), but no luck. When 2 hours had passed and I hadn't made it any further downtown, I decided to bag it and go home. Unfortunately, it was just too hot to actually run ten miles.

swimming, biking, running, and helping

With any big race come many emotional stories of endurance, hope, and pride. Several of my RWP/TFK teammates participated in the NYC triathlon a few weeks ago. You can read about what they did on Coach Adam's blog here. I'm not as hardcore as they are, so I was sleeping. But, a family friend recently shared a story with me about that day that is as amazing as the accomplishment of finishing such an intense race.

A few days ago, I attended a funeral service for the newborn son of a close family friend. The baby's death was truly a tragedy. He was very premature and wasn't able to leave the NICU. His entire family gathered at the hospital during the last few days of his short life to say their good-byes. On the way uptown, his grandparents got stuck in the middle of the NYC triathhlon. Traffic was completely stopped and roads were barricaded for the extraordinary athletes competing that day. My friends were understandably angry at the delay and overcome with grief at the thought of losing their grandson. A police officer on duty at the tri came to their aid, asking where they were going and what the situation was. The baby's grandfather is a fairly imposing man, and to see him broken with grief is a heartwrenching sight. Whatever the cause, something stirred inside the police officer, who motioned for the family to follow her. She escorted them through the triathlon and all the way to the front door of the hospital, where they were able to see their grandson just hours before he passed.

I love this story because it reaffirms my faith in humanity on the most basic level. Also, I am a social worker, and I love what the police officer did for this family in a moment of incredible need. One does not need to perform earth -shattering feats to be a hero(ine). Lastly, I think the NYC triathlon is a perfect backdrop for a story like this. In endurance sports, we always strive to PR, but this is proof that we can be our best selves outside the race, too.

gonna be some changes made

a thousand points to you if you know who sang that song! seems fitting given all that's going on for me right now. after a temporary gig, i start a new job next week. i'm excited about the work, and i look forward to the challenge of trying to make change in such a huge, complicated system of social services. yesterday, i went to a big meeting for social workers around new york city, and the sense of hope in the room astounded me. sure, there were people there who are jaded and burned out, but there were more who live their lives looking for the goodness in people and advocating tirelessly for kids and families. i couldn't help but feel pride. That was my community.

wow. deep.

in other news, i will soon be a brooklynite! i was thinking the other day as i was running on the west side (gotta bring it back to running always, right? after all, running is a metaphor for life) about how many places i've lived in the past few years and how many of them i've gotten to know simply through running around. DC, Providence, Boston, Sevilla, New Haven, various parts of Maine, NYC...you get the idea. can't wait to explore brooklyn on foot and tackle the loop in Prospect Park a few times. newness doesn't scare me as much as it once did.

but before i find some new runs, i've got to take care of these shin splints. ouch.

back to running for fun

I decided that i couldn't do the marathon with RWP this year (race with purpose is the new team that folks from team for kids formed). I have too much going on--I just graduated from CUSSW (!!), I moved, and now I'm job hunting. It's hard to think about fitting training into my schedule when I don't even know what my schedule will be. However, I've volunteered to help out during the training season, so hopefully I'll stay connected to my teammates and I can cheer them on November 4. I'm also thinking about a spring marathon--maybe by then I'll feel more settled.

So it's back to running for fun. I am so out of shape. Hard to believe my EASY runs used to be 10+ miles, and now I am barely doing 4. Yikes. Oh well. Now is not the time to feel discouraged about my mileage. Running is how I am taking care of myself during this time of such ambiguity. I went to an alumni thing a couple of months ago where someone actually said in her remarks, "be sure you work out a lot and eat good food while you're unemployed. It helps you feel less disgusting about yourself." Good advice to live by!

a little bit at a time

My six weeks of no running were officially up the day after I got home from New Orleans. (See link at right) After the incredible intensity of the trip, there was nothing I wanted to do more than put on sneakers and get outside. It didn't matter that it was freezing and there was snow on the ground. (Very harsh after being in 70 degree sun for a week!) Not wanting to overdo it, I went for about 20 minutes. Shortly, I realized how out of shape I am. The eliptical just doesn't compare to running for an hour + at a time. I have a lot to do to make up for all this time off, but I'll work up to the old level slowly. I'm not interested in getting injured again. Good luck to all the folks running Boston, Paris, and all those other races. RWP is doing Chicago--sadly, I won't be ready for a marathon in the fall. Maybe I'll go just to cheer them on?

What happens when my physical therapist tells me I can't run???

I go crazy. That's what. Since I last wrote, I went to the doctor and he told me I had to go to PT for four weeks. I went, and it turns out that I would be better off not running for 6 weeks in order to build strength again. I'm in week 3 of 6 and I am going insane. I'm like a running junkie and my physical therapist took away my fix. It's serious. I am SO jealous reading the emails from my teammates on our new Race with Purpose Yahoo group--they're all training for Boston and Paris and talking about upcoming shorter races. I had to pull out of the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, which means no race AND no visit to my dear dckatastrophe (among others). Plus, running is how I take care of myself--I have to keep a care log for my trauma course (we're going to New Orleans in two weeks) and it's BLANK, I tell you, BLANK.

Ok, so I'm being a bit dramatic. I'm finding other ways to blow off steam--yoga, swimming, etc. But that's just not the same when the body is used to a multi-hour run. When I get back from spring break, my 6 weeks will be up and I'll be back in the game. I've decided not to enter the lottery for NYC 2007--I need to finish school and move or whatever, but I'm thinking of tackling a marathon in 2008...Paris, anyone? ;)

Injury update

Ok, so you probably remember that I spent the weeks leading up to the marathon in unbelievable pain because of what I thought was a pulled hip flexor. Well, I FINALLY went to the doctor about it three weeks ago when it wasn't getting better, and the doctor told me that I in fact have a sprained pelvis. I told him all about the pain: when it started, how long it lasted, where it hurt, etc. Without my telling him, the doctor asked me if I had fallen prior to the pain starting. I did fall, during the 18 mile run, but I thought of the fall and the pain as separate occurrences. Turns out, the pain was exacerbated by the fall and it wasn't the running at all. When I fell, one of my pelvis bones rotated forward and my muscles strained to hold it in place. The doctor sent me to PT starting last week, where I was "realigned". Now I am nearly pain free! No running yet--not until I have full range of motion without pain, but I'm getting closer! Why did I put off the visit to the physical therapist for so long?

Time to deal with this, and then I can start thinking about the next race. I signed up for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in DC with Em and Liz on April 1. I think that's a good goal!

Marathon photos!

I know it's been a long time since I last wrote, but things at school have been insane. I am finally done for the semester--one left to go! Even thought the marathon was awhile ago, it is still completely fresh in my mind and I get chills just thinking about it. I've started running again for about a half an hour at a time. The pain in my hips is nearly gone, but I do have some tightness from time to time. Mostly, I just haven't felt like running. I am starting to miss it, though. I DEFINITELY miss my TFKers! Here are some photos from the marathon. Both were taken by TFK Bob's (see blog at right) roommate on 5th avenue. Notice the "FOR NINA" on my arm. She was with me!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I truly am looking forward to going to DC to see the grandparents, despite the difficulty with Mimi's health. And Maine will be such a wonderful rest! Can't wait to come back fresh in January. Hey TFK, how about a reunion?

No Turkey Trot for me

A lot of my TFK teammates ran in Turkey Trots over the weekend--short runs that justify eating a lot of turkey on Thanksgiving. I haven't been running lately because of my hip, so I traded in the Turkey Trot for marathon yoga and pilates sessions at home this weekend. Not to worry, I still ate a lot!

Best of luck to the TFKers who are taking on the 60k in Central Park today! That's right, 37+ miles, 9 4 mile loops plus a little. Wish I could be there to cheer you all on! Can't wait to hear about it.

Some thoughts from Dave Edwards...

There is no "I" in TEAM


WOW, a sea of green all along 26.2-miles of NYC. Congratulations to each and every one of you, my TEAM mates, my FRIENDS, my INSPIRATION, my ENCOURAGEMENT.

WARNING: At this point, you might want to grab a cup of coffee, a Gatorade or something, `cause it's about get heavy.

There is no "I" in TEAM; On Saturday Morning July 8th, 2006, one thousand "I's" came together either in person to central park, or via the web-communications to begin the personal journey for each to achieve their own goal of completing the ING NYC Marathon 2006 via this inlet called TEAM FOR KID'S. Many had never run in a group, let alone had any idea of pace, or pace groups. The "I's" were saying, "I usually run alone", "I run at this pace", "I've never run more than 6 miles", "I got in to TEAM FOR KID's cause I did not get selected in the lottery", "I am here cause I need training and guidance to complete 26.2 miles", "I am here cause I've always watched the ING NYC Marathon, and I say to myself every year, I'm gonna run a marathon one day", "I love kids and what better way to express myself in my marathon experience", "I run because of "________". Over the past few weeks, the "I's" have turned to "MY's", "my pace group", "my pace group friend", "someone I pace with", "TEAM MATES". No where else in running and training will you find a more committed group of adults. Whether you are a 16-minute miler or 5:12 miler, each member of the TEAM embraced you and your efforts, encouraged your performance and accepted you for the sole (soul) you run on, and likewise, you embraced and encourage each TEAM member too.

DATELINE…. November 5th, 2006: ONE THOUSAND "I" RAN AND FINISHED THE ING NYC MARATHON, 26.2 MILES WITH TEAM, TEAM FOR KID's (and Adults too) this could be heard the world around.

Each of you discovered that knowing another green shirt was nearby gave you a since of comfort and security, knowing that TEAM was on the course. And no TEAM is successful with out COACHES and STAFF, who also placed themselves along the sidelines for that game day support in the event that they, each of them has invested their time and wisdom into our success and accomplishment.

You do not know how important TEAM, TEAM MATES, PACE GROUPS, PACE GROUP LEADERS is, until you find yourself running alone on race day. (I know some of you have been curious) As for me, after all of the "pomp & circumstance", the wonderful opportunity to represent TEAM FOR KID's along side of the Borough of Queens in the Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge, and all that I was able to accomplish for TEAM FOR KID's in the past few weeks with this short lived exposure… the gun went off. It was race time and a half mile into it, I found myself running with four people I did not know, nothing… nada…nil…. And soon, I found myself running alone in a really big place, in a really big race on a very empty road for a while. All I kept thinking was "what I would give (right now) to have a TFK team member in a green shirt next to me right now", a pace friend, Martine, Courtney, David (vano), Matt, Adam, Marjory, Brittany. Hey running gods? please send someone from the 9:30's now!… to no avail.

Yet, I made a commitment and a choice, and I was running my best race to date, so I thought. I came up short. Having plans of a 3:40 finish, accepting that today, my time would be 4:09:30. Somewhere around 18, I hit the wall, or the wall hit me, I hit the ground. And just as a mother's love allows them to pick you up and dust you off, telling you it's ok, you'll be fine, and gets you going again….. There on the course was a TEAM FOR KID's COACH, offering a hand of support. Just as in the past 17 weeks along the training course, COACHES encouraging each of us along the way, giving us the encouragement, motivation, education and inner strength to meet our goals and achieve greatness in our lives, this COACH, and all of our TEAM FOR KID's COACHES encouraged me to carry on, to finish, for all that I am, all that my family is (as they are awaiting my arrival at the finish line) and all that each and every TFK TEAM MATE is to me.

Thank you to the COACH that stayed with me and paced me, the running gods answered my wish when I needed it most. I finish my Marathon with a TFK TEAM MATE in hand as we crossed the finish line. Thank you COACH and COACHES.

So, if you are still questioning your marathon run. STOP! You ran, you finished. Pick it up in the next one.

As I look back on my Marathon this past Sunday, many of the COACHES have encouraged me to self evaluate, write down the good, the bad (and the ugly) and what was different from a previous. I have done that, and I won't bore you with those details. There are no "DO OVER's" for November 5th, 2006, it is what it is. But there is a "DO IT AGAIN", and yes, another marathon is in my future, and yours too. And just as I have looked at my race, I encourage each of you to take a look at your race. You finished, and that is the goal. Now for the Over Achiever out there (oh, I think that is everyone of us now, right), stay involved. Set goals, next week, next month, six months, one year, what races am I going to do? And what am I going to do to improve my running abilities?… Self evaluate and plan.

Yes, the past week, post Marathon, you're becoming reacquainted with family, friends, partners, spouses, etc., this is great, especially after the past 17 weeks. As you recover, the "I" in I'm going out for a run will have an unfamiliar ring to it for a while. Many of us will be faced with running solo on a local path, street or park near our house or apartment. It's OK, the TEAM is always out were. Put on the green shirt, a magical memory will come to mind immediately, a sense of pride, a sense of community and since of giving comes about as you slip that shirt on and run in it.

Again, Thank you to each and every one of you for making this TEAM FOR KIDs 2006 my best marathon every, and my best running summer of training ever. I look forward to spending time in the "off-season" at a run or a race with each of you, just to "catch-up", to listen to you tell me about "Your Marathon" and how life is different and better now.

DING DNIG: I know. I know…. it's time for a refill on your coffee. Sorry, I've never been good a making a long story short. That is most likely why I run 26.2 mile, not 5K's. So bear with me another minute or two.

What to do in the TFK winter and spring months? RUN! Get Involved!

FIRST: Let's all plan on post one month get together run at the NYRR Holiday 4 mile / Kid's Play Party ( http://www.nyrr.org/race/2006/r1202x00 ). Many of the "Kids" running in the NYRR Foundation City wide Programs will be out at this race. This is great way to run with the "Kids" we are in support of.

SECOND: New York Road Runners Club www.nyrr.org Sign up for regularly scheduled races and events. When you sign up for a race, please remember to sign up with your TEAM: TFK. For those outside of NYC, Get involved in a Running Club near you.
Express your TFK self.

THIRD: New York Road Runners Foundation. Become a VOLUNTEER! Get involved with the Jamborees and Cross-Country races for the "Kids". www.nyrrfoundation.org go to the VOLUNTEER tab, click, scroll down, VOLUNTEER APPLICATION PDF, click it, print it, fill it our, fax it in, GET INVOLVED!

FOURTH: www.marathonguide.com find a full or a half marathon, make a plan, set a goal, go there, and "DO IT (AGAIN)". And let us know where you are running and follow up by tell us how you did. The TFK 2006 yahoo site lives on.

FIFTH: www.active.com This site has everything sports by sport by zip code and or area/region. Look for your sport near you.

The TFK 2006 Yahoo web site. Keep your email active for this. Coach Adam, The TFK Staff and The NYRR Foundation will make Special Announcements from this venue for you to be involved in Special Opportunities involving TFK Members and Races and Activities we all can partake in.

STAY TUNED, Great Things area coming your way!

Again, Thank you (for hanging on this long) for allowing me to run with each and everyone of you, my life is much more enriched because of each of you. This is only the beginning of journey to a life without boundaries and limitations set by society. Today, I, and each of you have accomplished more than the average person standing next to you on an average day. For this, be proud and continue to achieve.

Gotta Run…. Very Truly Yours,

Dave Edwards

Just one of the 37,000 stories....

This woman is an inspiration, whether she meant to be or not!

UNION-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
November 7, 2006

Zoe Koplowitz finished the New York City Marathon in just under 29 hours Monday, a day after the men's and women's winners crossed the finish line.

Using fuchsia-colored crutches, Koplowitz started at 5:45 a.m. Sunday and finished at 10:30 a.m. Monday. It was the 19th New York City Marathon for Koplowitz, who lives in Manhattan and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis more than 30 years ago at age 25.

Her physical therapist and the New York City Guardian Angels accompanied her along the route, much like Lance Armstrong had former marathon champions Alberto Salazar and Joan Benoit Samuelson running alongside to pace him.

Koplowitz also is the award-winning author of “The Winning spirit – Life Lessons Learned in Last Place.”

PS: 4 days later and my soreness (except for right hip and right baby toe) is nearly gone. I'm thinking of going running tomorrow. hmmm....

I did it!!

Yesterday was the most intense, physically challenging experience of my life. I woke up at 4am to get to the buses at 5:45am. The Emilys and I figured out a wake-up call chain and Liz and I shared a cab--gotta love that team support! The bus ride was fun, full of nervous energy, crying, and lots of photo opportunities. When we got to the start, I imagined that it looked something like Woodstock. We were told to sit down and to conserve energy, which we did (when we weren't waiting in the bathroom line). We moved to the corrals at about 8:30am, which meant another hour and a half of sitting before moving to the bridge for a 10:10 start. Oh, the energy--Fort Wadsworth really did look like Woodstock when the crowds started moving and shedding their layers...

And then we were off! Commuting, of course. I was with Nancy, Pam, and Sarah L. I felt great over the Verrazano (how weird, running on a suspension bridge), through Brooklyn (where I saw Cait!) and into Queens, where I saw the family for the first time. Mom, Dad, B and Tanya were holding a sign that said "Moira the MAINE-IAC." It perked me right up (though Nancy wouldn't let me speed up!)I found Diego about 100 yards later standing in the median of the street and holding a big sign. That was awesome, right before I had to go over the dark, quiet Queensborough bridge (which is a HILL) at mile 15.

I could hear first avenue before I got there. The crowds were crazy! We made sure to stop every few blocks to take pictures of each other's families and friends. By the time we hit Harlem and the Bronx, I was losing a little steam. My feet started to hurt around mile 19/20, but Nancy wouldn't let me stop. Mentally, I was done--I hadn't run any more than 18 miles all season because of my injury, and the thought of doing another 8 made me want to cry. Everything felt ok except my feet, but that I was all I could think about! Thank god for my family at mile 21--what a surprise, there they were with the signs again! I was actually able to hug all of them this time and I think that pushed me to fifth avenue. Coach Alem met us when we came off the bridge and said a few words of encouragement. The crowd kept yelling my name (it was written on my shirt) and urging me on, but I wanted to stop running. Then at 96th and 5th I saw a huge group of CUSSW friends and then my family again 1 block down. Coach Danielle saw that I was having a hard time and she jumped in right next to me and ran the next 4 miles, up to mile 25 with me.

The last few miles felt endless. Into the park, up Cat Hill, out of the park, down to Central Park South. Coach Danielle had to leave me there, but she told me to use the crowd and just go. So I pushed and I pushed and the crowd yelled and yelled. I stared at Columbus Circle ahead so hard I thought my eyes would pop out of my head. Then it was time to turn into the park and face that last .2. I didn't know if I could make it up the last hill, but Narisa was there with a sign and she yelled right in my ear. The finish was right there and then I was on it, kind of in shock. One of the volunteers asked if I was ok, and I said I was, "Just give me the medal!" My time was 5:27:20, which meant that Lance Amstrong was home, showered, and resting by the time I finished, but whatever.

I found Nancy and Sarah, who finished one minute ahead of me, and we took a group picture with our medals and blankets. Then I walked (slooowly) in a daze toward the Cherry Hill area. Sarah D., who is so wonderful, took good care of me while I changed into warm clothes and discovered my bloody right sock from a toenail issue. So that's what hurt so much!

I'm moving very slowly today, and my hip is tight, but I am so happy that I finished and am so proud to be a TFKer! The whole time, I had the support of my teammates and the help of all the family and friends who came out. It was amazing. Today I've gotten so many emails and phone calls--Pop-Pop seems to think I'll be running Boston in April 2007. We'll see. One marathon at a time!

TOMORROW

In just a few short hours, I'll be on the TFK "Fireass" bus (complete with a giant ass hanging out the window, thanks to Frank's artistic ability) headed to Staten Island. Crazy. I thought it would never get here!

The family is here, and the phone has been ringing off the hook with friends calling to offer support. I'm overwhelmed--I've never felt this kind of outpouring before! Frank was at his coaching best as we walked the last 1000 yards of the marathon course today in the park, in full view of the finish line.

STRONG
BREATHE
RELAX
CADENCE
PATIENCE

these words have hung on a post-it on my desk since July. It's on!

Going to bed shortly...coaches' orders!

PS: B mentioned today that Justin has made my blog his homepage. Hilarious! Hi Justin! I'm sad you're moving to California! Visit often.

an unfortunate turn of events...

i was having a hard time sleeping last night, so i got up early and checked my email. there was a note from nancy to the whole page group telling us that nina had been hit by a car and was in the hospital. she's fine, with only minor injuries. (thank god it wasn't more serious!) of course, she has an amazing attitude and the best spirit--nancy spoke to her, and she's so excited for us even though she won't be able to run with us this year. coach adam responded to nancy's note and told us that another teammate had also been in a car accident...she's injured too, but ok. this is kind of freaking me out. seriously, we have five days to go!

i'm really upset not to have nina there with us on sunday. frank suggested "taking her with us" on the course, so i wrote "for nina" on my singlet and i will finish the marathon even if it's just for her!

i am about to jump out of my skin. my energy level is high, and i'm getting ready to go. the econ midterm yesterday was the first big obstacle this week, and now that's over. just one more day of classes and two more days of field and i'm there....

thinking of you, nina!

Poland Springs Marathon Kickoff

Yesterday, TFK met to run an easy five miles in Central Park in conjunction with the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff. It was SO much fun--there was definitely an energy in the air! There had to be thousands of runners, many of whom are running next weekend. The course finished right near the marathon finish line, which was just unreal. To think, a week from yesterday....

The best part of yesterday's run was not the 40 mile-an-hour winds, but the fact that lots of TFKers dressed up for Halloween! There are so many creative people on my team. Lance Armstrong showed up, as did the big green pimp, and a penguin. Best of all, though (and I'm not biased about this in any way) was the effort made by Team Fireass. Frank came up with the brilliant idea to get New York Fire Department shirts that said "Fire: Keep back 200 feet" on them, and creative Liz made flames for us to pin to our fireasses. With the wind whipping, it really DID look like we were on fire!

Check out Sarah's blog (at right) for her list (and PHOTOS) of the top ten costumes yesterday! Oh, yes, Team Fireass made the list!

I was sick all last week and I've been taking it really easy so as not to aggravate my injuries, but I think yesterday's energy, costumes, and beautiful fall weather made me go for it a little too much. I ran faster than commute and finished 5 miles in 55:55. The rest of my pace group was flying, and I decided to stick to warm-up rather than to race. I caught up with Betsy, which was awesome. I'm lucky to have her as a teammate and as a friend!

Getting excited to begin celebrating the arrival of the marathon! Keep your eyes out for TFK green on the TODAY show plaza on Friday morning! Friday night is the TFK team party, and I get to welcome the family to New York on Saturday! Then Sunday, I'm running all over town!

Have a little faith...

All of you certainly have faith in me! As of today, my fundraising total is: $3,344.20!!!! (That's right--I've SURPASSED my goal of $2500. To everyone who made this possible, you all ROCK!!!).

All together, Team for Kids members have raised: $2,027,545. AMAZING! Think of all the kids who will participate in the programs funded by this money...This team is so much more than the individual runners on it. We're a team, and we're doing it for the kids as much as for ourselves.

I've had a tough training season fraught with injuries and now a yucky virus. But Leslie was here last weekend, and she told me to listen to "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects any time I didn't think I'd make it. L, you're right--it helps a lot!

Listen here if you ever need a little push: http://youtube.com/watch?v=FSbGur1dz9k

The countdown is on!

Check out an entire marathon course tour on YouTube! http://youtube.com/watch?v=MnxknAnBVk0" (I certainly won't be running a marathon in 7 minutes)

Also, my bib number for the big day is: 41389. It's mine! There is no other 41389!

I talked to the family last night, and B wants to make a banner that says, "M, hurry the f up! It's cold out here!" That idea was vetoed, but another possibility might appear on marathon day, "All 37,000 of you are CRAZY"

This weekend, the Fireasses will be running in Central Park in costume...a slight departure from our neon green ensambles. I'm sure there will be pictures :)

I've come down with a little virus, but I'm resting and resting and resting some more... I'll be good to go for NEXT SUNDAY. (Did I just write that?)

Two weeks to go!!!

That's right--two weeks from TODAY I take on 26.2...

Yesterday, we did an 11-mile course tour, which was awesome. I felt better than I have in weeks, and I was able to FINISH the run with only a little bit of tightness in my hip. It was a huge mental victory for me to cross the finish line (near the actual marathon finish) after running over the Queensborough Bridge, down first avenue and up fifth back to the park, just like I will in two weeks. Except in two weeks, there will be 2 million fans and 38,000 runners along with me!

Coach Adam interviewed Team Fireass after the run for a series he's doing called "Personal Record." It was great, and you can listen to it here: http://teamforkids.org/index.cfm?organization_id=57§ion_id=910&page_id=3725

I left yesterday completely exhilarated, prepared to rest as much as my ball-of-nervous-energy self will let me, to keep up the cross training, and to stay on the road to recovery. I'm so excited that my family is coming to share this with me, and that so many friends will be coming out the day of to cheer me on. I can't WAIT to meet the national team members who will be joining our pace group--you guys are in for a treat, because the 11:30s are the BEST...

My pace group rocks!

love you guys!
Cathy on Saturday as we crossed the street near battery park and a car was coming: "heads up, asses!"
Nancy: "did you just say, heads up asses? Hey guys, we have a new favorite team memory! Cathy just said HEADS UP ASSES!"

Time to taper...

This morning, the team set out for the "23-mile pace group social," during which we were supposed to run slower than commute pace. For our group, that's about a 12:30, which is about how fast I walk when I'm really hauling ass. I could run forever at that pace! I joined my team at mile 3 and planned to run 20 with them. It was a gorgeous day--chilly at the start, but once we got going, I warmed up. We ran down around the tip of Manhattan, by the Staten Island Ferry terminal and got a great view of the underside of the Brooklyn bridge. One of the best part of training with TFK (there have been lots of best parts) has been been exploring the city on foot--I was so happy to be out there with my teammates, sharing our favorite TFK memories. It was so cool to hear about what stuck with everyone--how they felt after each long run, each joke, etc. It was so important to me to be a part of that, because I don't think we're going to be able to reminisce on marathon day with 37,000 other runners.

I felt really good until mile 11 (mile 14 for them), when my hip started to tighten up. I knew immediately that it was best to stop running before I had pain. Another teammate of mine had ankle pain, so we stopped together and headed back uptown to the start. I was (am) pretty discouraged, but I know that it was the best thing to do. I'm going to really rest during the tapering period and try to pull out a decent marathon using an 18-mile base. Not ideal, but the adrenaline and the crowds on the day of will help get me through.

I told my team not to start sharing favorite memories until I joined them at mile 3 (that was our homework assignment from Frank), and Nancy started to tease me: "What the memories are about you and they're bad? Moira's here, now she's leaving. Here, now leaving." That was pretty funny, given the fact that I haven't finished a long run in four weeks. I started laughing and crying, at which point Frank told me to stop because I "can't spare the sodium." I just started laughing and crying harder at that. Thanks, Frank!

Seriously, you should've seen me last night. There was a commercial on for the marathon on NBC, and the voiceover said something like "37,000 unique stories...the New York City marathon." Oh, I was a mess. And then I saw this:about Dick and Rick Hoyt, the father-son team who have run more than 200 triathlons and 64 marathons, and started crying harder. Go to www.teamhoyt.com for the full story.

And my stupid hip hurts. I definitely got a healthy dose of perspective. (Sometimes I just hate those).

Let the tapering begin.

soooo close!

The marathon is three weeks away. That's right, three weeks. Hard to know if I'm more excited or terrified. I think it depends on the day. When the TFK newsletter came out this week, I was absolutely glued to the marathon itinerary article. When Pam sent out her reflections on preparing for last year, I started to tear up. I realize I sound like a huge loser, but I'm ok with that. It's going to be such an amazing experience. I get chills just thinking about it!

And then there's the part of me that's terrified. My hip feels MUCH better--better than it has in weeks--but a little part of my brain wonders if I'm going to be in miserable pain for the whole race. Tomorrow we're due to run 23 miles. This will be our last long run before the marathon. I've already decided that I'm going to start with the 20-mile group and only do what I can comfortably. I've also decided that I'm not going to feel bad about cutting tomorrow short if I have to, but that's a harder thing to do. My head has decided not to feel bad, but I know I'll be discouraged if I can't finish the bulk of the run comfortably.

We shall see.

miles away from last week!

(center) this is the smallest finish line i have ever seen. imagine runners nearly finished with a marathon or a half marathon: "no, please, after you." "no, after you!"





(left) this is me last week, crying as i crossed the finish line. awesome.



(right) this is me today, at the westchester half, paying a visit to the massage tent during a break from volunteering/cheering on my teammates. REALLY awesome.

Words to live by...WE CAN DO THIS!

Words from a teammate who is also pulling out of Sunday's race...


...It is super-frustrating. But people say that if you can run 18 (which we've done), you can run 26.2 - the rest is just mental. So if we can maintain our current fitness level through bike/swim/whatever, get healthy by the 23 and then rest our bodies for 2 weeks, we should be good to go on Nov. 5th. It will definitely take a bit more time/effort to find ways to stay active than it would if we could just follow the program, but we can make it work. I think the key is to not get discouraged, keep doing stretching/injury prevention exercises, mirror the assigned cardio workouts as well as possible through cross-training, and really allow ourselves to get totally healthy before trying to run.

Now, if I'm still hurt come next weekend, I may begin to feel less optimistic, but as of now I'm not letting that thought enter my head!

See you Sunday.

emily

back and forth...

Since my miserable run this past weekend, I've been going back and forth about whether or not to run in this weekend's Westchester Half Marathon. Team for Kids members got a special discount to run, and I was really looking forward to helping my teammates turn the Bronx River Parkway green! I talked to the coaches about it and finally realized that if I had to think so much about whether or not to run, I probably shouldn't. So I'll be traveling out to Westchester early Sunday morning to volunteer along the course and to cheer the TFKers on. Hopefully this will give me a morale boost! I plan to do a long pool workout on Saturday to make up for missing the race. Not exactly the same, but definitely better for my hip!

Now on to the non-running (but still cool) news! It's been an interesting week--I have two celebrity friends! First, Tom was asked to interpret for a Bolivian human rights worker on Democracy Now! yestereday. I listened--it was amazing! TPF, estoy muy orgullosa de ti! Visit www.democracynow.org to listen to the archived show.

Then, my dear DC Katastrophe (check out her blog at right)got her own little bit of fame. Check out www.dcblogs.com and www.readexpress.com. She taught me how to be an aggressive pedestrian WAY back at GW. Way to go, K!

the hardest run yet

No joke. I don't think I can even begin to explain how hard yesterday was for me. but before I get there, I should write about the fun part of the weekend. Rachel, Ellen and I drove down to Philadelphia for Liz's bridal shower, which was really nice. Beth came too, and I hadn't seen her since graduation. I think Liz really appreciated our effort to make the trip, and we went to Rita's afterwards to have water ice. Ellen and I could not shut up about how great it was during the trip down, and Rachel had enough of us, so we went. It is SO delious. See how happy we were on Saturday? And that was before the trip to Rita's!

Then Sunday came. My hip felt ok as i headed to central park for Grete's Gallop, part of the Norwegian Festival (how much did I love telling Amy that I was going to run in the Norwegian Festival?) TFK was supposed to meet with Grete Waitz, 9 time NYC marathon winner, after the race, so I didn't want to miss that. We were instructed to run easily, have fun, and continue recovering, so I figured this run would be doable. No pressure.

For a few miles, I was ok. My hip felt surprisingly loose and despite the pouring rain (remember that 14-miler I did in a Maine-style monsoon? Sunday morning was kind of like that), I was having fun. Coach Adam gave me a high-five at the halfway point, which helped me start my second loop as the speedracers were already finishing. (I do love being a slowpoke!) Once mile 7 came, though, I started to struggle. Thank goodness Pam was there, because I would've quit without her! With every step, my hip flexor spasmed and I wanted to scream. It took EVERY ounce of determination I had to put one foot in front of the other. Pam was injured, too--I think we really needed each other yesterday. Whenever she had a hard time going downhill due to knee pain and I had to walk uphill because of my hip, we reminded each other how much closer we were to the finish line. Yet another example of that great TFK support--we WERE going to finish together!

By mile 12, I had tears in my eyes from the pain, but I wasn't going to stop running--I was just too close to finishing. With less than half a mile left to go, Betsy came up behind me and told me to sing--I asked her what song had "f***" in it. I don't normally curse, but I definitely let a few out yesterday. By the time I crossed the finish line, urged on by TFK coaches, Frank and other 11:30s who finished before me, I was nauseated and crying. I'm scared to see the pictures that the photographers took as we finished--I just may post them, because the look on my face will be the best description I can give of how I was feeling. Ugh, just writing about it makes me squirm.

Then it was over. Part of me couldn't believe that I'd actually finished. The medic gave me ice and I limped with Pam to the bandshell, where we met up with our other teammates. They were proud of me for finishing, and as always, concerned and supportive when I told them how the race had gone. Pace group mom Nancy ran off to get me a bagel, and we heard that Grete wasn't going to be speaking due to the weather or something. I was a little grateful that she canceled. While I wanted to meet her, I also wanted to collapse in bed. The idea of waking up this morning, with yesterday behind me, was really appealing. God, I hope I never feel the way I did after that run ever again.

Does someone have a hip flexor I can borrow?

Seriously, I'm about to trade my left hip flexor in for another one! Today was the big 20-miler (or, as the coaches were calling it, "a 3- mile race preceded by a 17-mile commute) from 168th street over the GWB to Palisades State Park in Jersey and back. I was nervous about it all week because of my stupid hip--no running for me since last weekend's failed attempted at 11 miles in Harrison. I stuck to no-impact cardio, pool workouts and rest. I felt much better by Thursday and thought that I might be able to pull 20 miles off today, but when I woke up this morning, my hip still hurt. Oh well, off I went at 5:45am to get uptown in time for my pace group's start. Oh, and there were definitely people coming home as I was leaving. Awesome.

It was pretty eerie getting off the subway at 6:15am (still dark) by Columbia Presbyterian and head down to Riverside Drive. I stopped at the hospital to use the bathroom and the guard didn't want to let me in until I smiled at him and showed him my Columbia i.d. Who knew that it would come in so handy?

Anyway, my pace group assembled and off we went (sans Frank due to Rosh Hashanah) under Louie's fearless leadership. (Although, he and Steve were about to turn the wrong way and the 15 women in the group stopped him! This is proof that women are better with directions than men!) My hip didn't hurt for the first few miles, and I made it over the GWB again and crossed into Jersey. When we got to the Palisades and had to start climbing hills every hundred feet, my hip protested and I figured I wouldn't make it for the whole 20. My heart rate felt good, my legs felt good, my lungs felt good, but there was no way. I started walking the hills (they were BIG hills) and running on the flats. Omar taught me some stretches and helped me out every few miles, and soon we were run-walking together. I lasted until mile 10 and knew I needed to pack it in. Zakia came and picked me up and we drove along the course cheering runners on the whole way. My pace group looked SO strong and so happy, and I was sad, angry and frustrated not to be out there with them! This is the third long run that has ended prematurely for me, which is so aggravating because mentally I know I can do it. Coach Adam reassured me that I would be able to make up some mileage next weekend, but I have to focus on healing first. I headed home and hit the pool, which made a bit of a difference...Here's to a return with a vengeance next weekend!

Discouraged...

Yesterday, I traveled with the team out to Harrison, NY for an 11-mile recovery run. I had a hard time getting up--I kept thinking, "Why get up for 11 miles? What's the point?" That wasn't cockiness. but tiredness. We did start at 9am, though, so I didn't have to get up TOO early. Thanks to Nina for driving out to Westchester! It was awesome, and the company was fun :). Dave, can I hear a little more of your Forrest Gump impression? I promise I'll work on being more spontaneous!

What a beautiful day for a run! We got going, and immediately, my hip flexor (pulled last weekend) started to hurt. I'd been nursing it all week and I thought I could push through it, but then I realized that it would be smarter to stop, rest, and be in good shape for next weekend's 20 miler. At mile 3, I bailed out. My team was really supportive and said they were proud of me for making the decision to stop. Autumn, a great TFK supporter, came to pick me up and drove me back to the start area. She was lovely and tried to sell the benefits of the run/walk plan for the marathon. If I don't rebound from this injury, I very well might be run/walking!

Back at the start/finish, I was really frustrated. I've felt pretty good after every run so far this season, with the exception of yesterday and last week. To have two bad weeks in a row is pretty discouraging. I kept telling myself, though, that it's better to have to stop on the 11 miler rather than to stop during the 20. I sat and watched the fast pace groups come in (these are folks COMMUTING at 8:00 minutes and under--crazy fast!), which was pretty cool because I'm usually out on the course for hours after they finish. They were all really nice, stopping and asking me how I was and bringing me ice. TFK staff took really good care of me, too, as always. It's such a supportive group. I've experienced it firsthand several times now!

As the other groups started coming in, I moved over to the finish line so I could cheer the Fireasses in. It was a tough run for some groups--the body is still recovering from our 18 miler last weekend, and the course, though beautiful, was really confusing and some groups got lost and ran several extra miles. I said I felt the support when I had to stop running--I saw what may be the strongest example of what a great group TFK is. Avi and Bob, two of the speedracers who came in with the fastest pace groups, ran the last 1/4 mile with runners who were struggling to finish. It was really amazing to watch, and I could how grateful my teammates were for the extra little boost. Such a simple gesture, and it made SUCH a difference for so many people! Avi and Bob, you guys rock!

I'm going to be taking it easy this week. Coach Adam told me not to run with a hurt hip, and to do no-impact cardio only. He said swimming was ok, so I went to the pool for awhile when I got home yesterday to get rid of some of my frustration. I felt better, but not 100%. I think a visit with the Aldens today will help my mood a bit--I do love it when fun people randomly show up in NYC! Here's to being better by next week's 20!

Running a marathon is a lot like social work

I'm feeling a bit introspective today. I don't know if it's the weather (gray and rainy) ,or the fact that I went to a training on worldview, culturally appropriate intervention strategies, and multicultural organizations this morning, or because it's week 2 of a new school year (my last in the master's program) and I'm already tired. In any case, I've decided that training for a marathon has some similarities to becoming a social worker. Here is what I've come up with so far:

1) It's all about the support. This morning during the workshop, we spent a lot of time building group norms and establishing a connection in the group, so that by the midpoint of the workshop, we were supporting each other and we could tolerate ambiguity a lot more than we could at the beginning of the process. We deviated from the agenda a little because someone brought up a point worthy of exploring further, but it was clear that supporting that person was important to the whole group. Certainly, social work is a tough field made much easier through the support of colleagues and mentors. We work with clients and communities to empower them to make change, to reach a particular goal. We work on the issues that need attention right now, issues that other people don't want to (or don't know how to) touch.

Running a marathon with a team is definitely ALL about the support. Check out my previous post about the GWB run and my big wipeout and you'll see what I mean. I've told so many people that I would never be able to train on my own, to make it through the long runs on my own, or to stay motivated. Team for Kids members have such great connection. I don't know everybody, but we're all in this together all the way to November 5. We can talk about our successes, our aches and pains, our favorite gatorade flavors, the mental battle to make it through the last two miles of an 18 mile run, etc. It's all about the support!

2) It's all about possibility. If I didn't believe in possibility, I would have a hard time being the kind of social worker I want to be. My vocation is to organize for social change and social justice. In less than a year, I'll have an MSW after my name, and I'll be working with people who may not believe in possibility as much as I do. I'm always surprised and saddened to meet social workers in the field who have become cynical and jaded after practicing for a few years. I don't want to be like that. I chose this field because it's such a great platform from which to make change, but I'm not going to get very far if I don't continue to believe that large-scale, systematic change is possible.

But I'm lucky-- my belief in possibility has been reaffirmed through marathon training as I test my body and mind every week. I never would've thought that an 11-mile run would be a short distance, or that I would be able to run over a bridge to another state several hours into my run! Part of me still can't believe I'm capable of these things, but there you have it. Possibility. And the kids we're supporting through our fundraising efforts--THEY embody possibility. It's overwhelming, really, to think that our work is giving them opportunities that they would not have otherwise, and they can turn around and do the same for the next group of kids. (until, hopefully, we get to the root of the problem and these programs aren't necessary anymore, but that's a conversation for another day)

3). It's all about patience. I'm the first to admit that I am not a patient person. However, social work requires patience because change takes time. Clinicians and clients are engaged in what could be long processes, and policymakers may have to stick it out in the trenches before the perfect moment for change on a macro level can happen. As I've been training for the marathon, I've found that I have great days, ok days, and crappy days. I have to fight with myself to hang on through the crappy days, but that usually means that an ok day (or even a great day) is not too far away. Patience. I'm still working on it, as a runner in training and as a social worker in training.

Consider this a list in progress. There is no doubt that something is happening to my worldview as a result of this marathon training process. I'm not sure what the lasting impact will be--I can't articulate it just yet--but on November 6th, (the day after the marathon) I'll be a different person.

Today's run in numbers

Number of minutes spent waiting for subway to get to run: 30
Number of Fireasses (aka the 11:30 pace group) who came to run this weekend: 24
Number of laps around the dirt track in Riverside Park to start off the run: 4
Number of bridges crossed: 1 (but I did it twice!)
Number of states visited: 2
Number of TFKers who gave me high-fives as I crossed the GWB: lots
Number of fig newtons I ate during the run: 4 (I think?)
Number of miles I ran before taking a huge yardsale on the jogging path in Riverside Park: 17.5
Number of miles I walked after said yardsale: .5
Number of watches lost after said yardsale: 1
Number of TFKers who took care of me after I bit the dust: lots (thanks, guys!!)
Number of PB&J sandwiches I ate after the run: 1
Number of pudding cups I ate after the run: 1

I really felt the team spirit today as we ran from 72nd st in Riverside Park up the west side to Fort Tryon Park (around the Cloisters), over the GW Bridge and back. The views from the Cloisters and over the GWB were unbelievable, and I forgot my various aches and pains as my teammates passed and gave me high-fives along the way. I focused on the Manhattan skyline and tried not to think about the paper waiting for me when I got home. I have to say, it worked! How cool to run over the bridge and back and along such a beautiful greenway! Now I can actually say that I ran to Jersey and back.

I plugged along and started to feel some tightness in my hip during the last few miles of the run. When I started running, my ankle really hurt, but some of the pain went away, so I was grateful for that. Around mile 15, I really REALLY wanted to stop running, but Patty and I kept each other focused. I battled in my head a little, but had a rhythmn down and was half a mile from the finish when a loose rock on the path caught my toe and I went down. I was stunned, and I remember thinking, "Why am I on the ground? I need to finishing this effing thing!"

But no, I was on the ground. My knee, elbows and palms were completely scraped and bleeding. A crowd of TFKers came over to see if I was ok. Someone poured water on my knee to get the dirt out and Louie lent me his towel. Coach Dave biked by and sent Sarah down with a first aid kit. She cleaned me up and walked back to the finish with me. Seriously, I was so frustrated. I kept thinking, "I could've finished running! I could've finished running!" It was just so aggravating--the whole time my ankle hurt, and that's not even what got me. It was a stupid rock on the path!

Sarah and I walked to the finish (well, she walked, I limped) and my team cheered when they saw me. Nancy came over and gave me a big hug while I broke down. I was still startled from wiping out and angry at the timing of it. "I could've finished, Nancy!" She pulled back and said, "Where do you think you are? You finished! Don't let me efffing hear that you didn't finish!" All the Fireasses gathered around for a big group hug, and then they all scattered to bring me a PB&J (chunky with strawberry!), ice for my knee, advil, and my bag. They were such a supportive bunch. I can't imagine doing this without them!

So do I get credit for the full 18?

a little scared...

Tomorrow is going to be so intense. 18 miles, from 72nd street up to the cloisters, over the GW bridge to touch jersey, and back. Coach Adam's email yesterday was supposed to make us feel better:

"Remember though that you've already run 16 miles, which means that your run this Sunday is only two miles of new running. Two miles, anyone can do that!"

Still, I was with Tom at the farmer's market this morning, telling him what I'm going to do tomorrow, and he just looked at me. "M, that's really far."

I know.

This week, I had some ankle pain on Tuesday morning and again Thursday at the CU 5k fun run. I hope my body cooperates tomorrow! Plus, J and I volunteered to lead discussion in our Children and Families course this week, so I have a paper due by 11pm tomorrow night. What? Already? And so it begins....You can bet I'm not going to feel like writing that thing after 18 miles tomorrow!

T and I earned our Jamba Juice today!

TFK folks ran an easy 10 miles (not too long ago, 10 miles seemed like a lot!) in the remnants of Ernesto yesterday, and I slept in and had a very lazy day on my own. i'd already committed to running the same 14.2 mile training run this morning that i did last year, the one from the top of manhattan to the top of battery park. T couldn't join me last year, so I did it on my own with some help from three very kind strangers, two of which came over and reintroduced themselves after today's run! how fitting, to go back a year later to the run that welcomed me to New York and started me thinking that I might be able to do a marathon! I was getting a little nostalgic, but I tried to keep it under control. But seriously, how fast did the year go?

T and I found each other on the subway really early this morning, and we headed to the start. T was a little anxious about the distance, and kept telling me that I was her coach for the day. I'm not sure how much coaching I did, but I did keep us at a comfortable "commute" pace and prevented T from starting out too fast. By mile 10, we were passing folks who did just that! The run was just beautiful--the sun was shining, the neighborhoods were interesting, the views from Riverside drive were breathtaking, and we had plenty of time to catch up on life. I could've done without the annoying DJ who kept telling us to speed up and the two dead rats that were in my path, but otherwise, it was a fun few hours! T kept saying that I've joined some weird cult, which I guess is true to a certain extent, because everyone at the run was talking about last weekend's half or races coming up, and T felt like she was the only one not wearing a running t-shirt. (She wasn't). She does have a point, though--there is definitely a culture of running, and if she thought this run was intense, she should be part of some of the TFK back and forth that goes on at practice and online! Who else gets excited about gatorade high endurance?

T did great, and by the end of the run we were talking about how good a Jamba Juice would taste, so we took off to satisfy the craving. Two Strawberry Sunrises later, we were much happier campers. Now it's on to the rest of the day, which means homework and other chores to get ready for the start of classes on Tuesday. No pictures of today's run--I guess we forgot, although we did talk about taking some! You'll just have to take our word for it!

a shout out to my dear brother

big thanks to Brendan for his generous donation to TFK! I will run mile 25 for him, because he wants me to be "in pain when I'm thinking of him." too kind, really.

Read on for an excerpt from this week's Team for Kids newsletter--my very own pace group, team fireass, is featured!

No doubt you've heard of this notorious pace group in New York. Team Fireass (otherwise known as the 11:30 pace group) is a shining example of what Team for Kids is all about: working together, supporting one another, and having fun in the process.

But what's the secret to this group's success? We asked their fearless leader, Frank Brown, to describe why he thinks Team Fireass has become a positive force in the Team for Kids Community.

What's the story behind your group's name?
I wanted something that simultaneously would convey passion and silliness. If you can't say it with a straight face, you can't take yourself too seriously -- which means you can be passionate about the running part (which we are) and appropriately humble about the fact that there are Team For Kids runners who can cover two miles in the time it takes us to cover one.

"Fire" conveys the passion for running and excelling; it gives us a real sense of community and pride. We may not be speedy, but we're fiery; we care about each other, and we care about all the other pace groups. We want our Fire to spread to all the pace groups so that "Team For Kids" becomes an unstoppable force, an inferno.

The "Ass" part keeps it fun and light. Originally, I wanted it to convey that while we run like our pants are on fire (Coach Adam calls that Race Pace), there isn't a pace group that has more fun. In the heat, on the hills, in the later miles of long runs, if you aren't having fun, you shouldn't be out there. Everyone has days when they don't feel like running -- when they're sore and their bodies are tired and they don't want to do the push ups or the planks or the reverse crunches.

That's where Fireass pride comes in: There are no shortcuts on Team Fireass. I refuse to let down my pace group or my pace group's name. If you're on Team Fireass, you bring passion and excitement and FIRE to every Team For Kids training session or race. The more passion and excitement, the more fun. It creates itself and builds on itself.

I know "Ass" isn't exactly a word you want sewn into a pillow, particularly when we're running on behalf of children, but in today's world, it's a word with no worse than a 'PG' rating. When young people are around, I call our group "Firebutts" to keep things respectable.

Ours is a benevolent fire -- one that warms but doesn't destroy.

NYC half marathon (+2.9!)=16, a personal record!

Yesterday, I woke up at 4:30 am and headed to Central Park in the dark to run 2.9 miles with TFK prior to the start of the NYC Half Marathon. It was REALLY early and kind of freaky, and I was a little anxious because I'd had knee and ankle pain all week. Shockingly enough, though, I was on fire--I had perhaps my best run to date! We finished our 2.9 just in time for the start, and ran as a pack of 11:30 "fire asses" for the whole 13.1. It was crazy--there were 10,000 runners total (including, I learned today, Natalie Morales from the Today show and several Kenyan world champions). It poured for a few minutes, but misted for the rest of the race. I was grateful not to have a repeat of last weekend's 14- mile swim in Maine!

After an endless loop of Central Park (oh, I was SO ready to get out into the street after nearly 10 miles in the park!), we exited onto 7th avenue and ran through Times Square! It was the COOLEST--no cars, just a runners ahead! We passed stages through the whole race, include one that featured the cast of RENT singing "Take me or leave me." You all probaly know that's my favorite song from the musical--I sang along for a few lines and then decided it was taking too much energy, so I stopped. We ran down 42nd St to the West Side Highway, where we finished the race at Battery Park. All along, there were people cheering us on, which was totally motivating. I can only imagine what marathon day is like!

My time was 2:39:28, which is quite slow considering that the leaders were running a 4:50 per mile pace, but I felt great at the end. We alternated between 15 minutes of commute pace (11:30/mile) and 5 minute intervals of warm-up pace (about 30 seconds faster per mile) and supported each other. How cool that I was able to SPEED UP for the last mile after running for nearly 3 hours (including the 2.9 miles prior to the race)!!

Orientation at CUSSW started today, which means school is just around the corner. I really like my group of first-years so far, and I'm totally telling them that cheering me on at the marathon is a group event! Why not, right? ;)

(Photos courtesy of New York Road Runners)

another year older!

A friend asked me yesterday how it feels to be a member of the "quarter-century club." Before yesterday, I didn't know such a club existed, but now I guess I belong to it! Thanks to all who made my birthday so much fun--the emails, cards, phone calls, delicious lunch (T, who knew that sushi and ice cream from coldstone went well together?), candle-adorned cupcake (yum, thanks Johnny!) and little gathering last night will not be soon forgotten! Thanks especially to Colleen and Diego--my room smells like a garden because of the beautiful flowers you gave me! I even got some TFK donations as birthday gifts! Rock on, people! You're all great! It was a lovely day all around.

As far as training, I think I hit a bit of a wall on Tuesday night when I was doing hill intervals with the team in Central Park. I had just gotten back from Maine and I was dehydrated and my ankle hurt. I cut the workout short and headed home to rest. Wednesday I struggled to get through my cross training at the gym, and yesterday I had more ankle/knee pain at the end of my run in the park. I'm super-excited about the 1/2 marathon (+2.9) this weekend--picked up my number today at my first expo experience--but I hope I can get through it pain-free. I'll make myself ice my foot religiously tomorrow. Cross your fingers for me!

NYC half marathon this Sunday

...plus 2.9 additional miles BEFORE the race for TFKers! (That's right, I have to be there at 6am). The NYC Half Marathon will be televised on ABC 7 starting at 7am! For those of you in the NYC area, wake up early and watch me run! I'll be wearing neon green, with several hundred of my closest TFK friends!

Visit this link to check out the NYC half marathon commercial--

http://www.nyrr.org/nychalf/images/nychalf.mov

so far, the most memorable run of the season!

I went home to Maine this weekend for a quick visit before school starts the week after next. Mom and Dad and the rest of the extended family wanted to see me before my birthday on Thursday, too (and who am I to pass up celebrations in my honor?!) I arrived in Portland on Saturday evening, and Barbara Bush was at the airport picking up houseguests. How kind of her to meet me! She even dressed for the occasion, pearls and all!

I woke up Sunday to thunder and lightning and was immediately really aggravated because I've been psyching myself up to do a 14-mile run with hills without the help of my great pace group. For awhile it seemed like I wasn't going to go, but the rain stopped mid-morning and off I went. Mom thought it was hilarious, me with my belt, gels, plastic-wrapped cell phone and ipod, etc. I got going and felt good, only to be hit with a TORRENTIAL downpour 20 minutes into the run. (Remember a few Thursdays ago, when Adam and I nearly swam home after being caught in a monsoon? Yeah, it was like that). Pretty soon I was soaked, and I thought for a second about turning around, but I couldn't get any wetter, so I just kept going. It was quite funny, actually...rain, mist, rain, mist, spray from cars passing me on route 9...all I could do was laugh. Any right-minded person would've stayed home in her pajamas, but NO--all in the name of Team for Kids!

Big thanks to Aunt Ellie and Uncle Stu for finding me a route with LOTS of hills and to Mom and Dad for driving alongside me every few miles and holding gatorade out the car window! I wished my TFK teammates were there to share the experience with me, but oddly enough, I think they were! I finished, felt great, and was smiling at the end of 14 miles. Dad commented later, "You look to be in less pain than I would've thought!" and then later..."You know, if you'd asked me a year ago if I thought you could do this, I'd have said no. But you're doing it! I saw you today!" What a great sense of accomplishment I had, hearing my dad say that :)

Congratulations to the TFKers who ran Rockefeller this weekend! Wish I could've been there, but I don't think I'll forget my 14-miler anytime soon...

the cutest thing i have EVER seen

a fellow TFK teammate warming up with a member of the New York Road Runner's Foundation Rabbits team! many thanks to omar for sharing his photos!

pushing a personal record!

I have two days left at my internship, and then I'll be heading up to Maine for the weekend to hang out with the fam before school starts. Sadly, I'll miss my teammates and the Rockefeller run (the "blair witch" run through the woods!) on Sunday. However, I will be running 14 miles (just .2 miles shy of my personal record!) at Goose Rocks on my own. I'm kind of nervous about it, but I know I can do it. I think I'm going to run to the Bush estate and back (thinking about maybe asking them if I can use their bathroom?! In which case I probably shouldn't bring my eggs to throw at the house). The route has lots of hills, so my teammates need not worry that I'm skimping on the strength training!

Oh, and as many of you may know, my birthday is one week from tomorrow. In lieu of gifts, I will be accepting donations to my TFK fund (and you thought it was too late to donate!) Visit the link at the right, click on Contribute and make me a happy girl on my birthday!

Last name: Flavin
Bib number: 2451

tools of the trade

whoever said that all one needs to run are sneakers and some road was wrong. despite my quest to achieve a newfound zen through training for the marathon (well, maybe not, but that's the way some of the coaches talk!) i seem to have accumulated more stuff in the process! new sneakers, a fuel belt, gels (they come in handy for anything longer than 10 miles, but note to self: i do not like the raspberry and cream flavor!), gatorade, wicking socks, etc. who knew there was so much gear involved in this sport??

the 11:30 pace group did really well in our 12-mile long run this morning, despite the fact that we were missing nancy and emily due to injury! heal up soon, ladies! it was another perfect day (almost chilly when i left my building at 6am to head to the park), and a welcome change from Thursday, when Adam and I were caught in a monsoon and had to swim home!

we headed down the west side today, past chelsea piers (and Law & Order way!) and turned around at houston to come back up the park. all the way, we did a "west side story" theme complete with jets and sharks squaring off with squirt guns. dave got me, and i think he might've been the only one. i guess i'm just too fast ;). I can't believe how smoothly the 11 miles went--we're all getting so much stronger! the last mile wasn't too fun, thanks to a blister on my foot, but i made it through and was rewarded with nancy's great banana bread at the end of the run. popsicles, too!

hill intervals

i've graduated from base training! that means i'm in the strength building part of my marathon training, which has me running hill intervals during the week. last night, i did 40 minutes of intervals up and down hills at warm-up pace (which is supposedly a minute faster than commute pace, but it's hard to go faster up a freaking hill!)

needless to say, my legs hurt a little this morning!

saturday morning, TFK will be taking on the west side for a 12- mile strength- building run. that means hills. woohoo. oh well, whatever i do now will prepare me for those bridges on race day!

A beautiful day for a run!

This morning, at the crack of dawn, I went to Central Park--in a cab again because it was too early for the buses (seriously, can't look at cabs the same way after a summer at the TLC!)--for the weekly long run with TFK. As I stumbled around my room half asleep, I kept thinking "I must REALLY like this" and "I must be having a REALLY good time to get up this early!" We slapped on some green paint (I sported a TFK logo on my arm) and did 11 miles at commute pace in conjunction with the ING Marathon Long Training Run #1. I was a little stiff at the beginning, but the first two miles up a hill were a pretty big wake-up call! It was a good run, and I love being with a group of people who:

1) are at my pace
2) love to chat (especially Nancy, who tells GREAT stories about last year's training season and race, which get me ALL SORTS of excited to run the big one on 11/5)
3) feel no shame about stopping for water or pee breaks despite the fact that the hardcore folks are lapping us all over the place. Whatever. We'll be the ones smiling when finishing the marathon.

The 11:30s (aka Team Fireass--ask Frank where we got that name, because I'm not entirely sure, but it seems to energize us) all run for fun and today was a beautiful day with a breeze--a huge change from the past few days in NYC, where the heat index was over 100. bleh. days like this are why i run. go TFK!