Panic Runner

No NYC for me

2007-10-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

I went for a 6.5 mile run at the reservoir on Sunday morning. The run started out pretty well, but by the end of the first lap my foot was hurting. I pressed on and ran the second lap, still feeling the pain, but it wasn't severe enough to stop. My legs felt fabulous and full of energy, but my lungs were holding me back, on account of the cool air, the hills, my body's insistence on running 9 minute miles and the scarcity of my running the past two weeks.

I decided I would do a few more weekday runs and I would be in okay shape for the race.

Monday morning, my foot was all kinds of swollen and ugly. My arch was non-existent and my feet were entirely flat. It was not pretty. I used my little rubber ball on my foot and some ice throughout the day. I had an appointment with a new sports med doc that evening. After waiting for more than an hour in the waiting room, he looked at my foot and advised me not to run. I thought it was typical doctor talk and too conservative, so I was like, "yeah, yeah, yeah. what if I just load up on advil?" He said I could do permanently damage to my foot and at the very least miss out on an entire season of running." I still wasn't budging. We took x-rays. No breaks, but I need a bone scan to detect a stress fracture, which I'll get on Monday. He made me promise not to run if I have a stress fracture and I said I wouldn't, but I didn't think that was what's wrong. He agreed, but still suggested I not run no matter what. He said I probably won't finish and that if I do, most of it will be walking. Ugh.

So, after some tears and some mulling, I cancelled my entry yesterday afternoon. No marathon this year, but I did guarantee myself a spot for next year.

I'm still sad, though. i really thought I could get 4:30 this year. Boo.

And I still can't run!

Man Down

2007-10-20T06:41:00.000-07:00

I'm freaking out. It's been exactly 7 days since the race and I haven't run. Not one step. By Monday, most of my soreness had abated, but a nagging cramp started in my right foot. Just like after last year's race. I tried stretching it, eating bananas, followed all the instructions the internets could provide me. Nothing worked. I started thinking, hmmm, maybe this is worse than a cramp? With some more research, I self-diagnosed myself with plantar fasciitus. Even though my heels felt fine, some cases only affect the arch. Each morning I would wake up with the hope that all the pain would be gone. Nope. Some mornings it was so bad I had to hobble around while walking Miles. I started icing, rolling the tennis ball and golf ball under my foot, and made an appt. with the sports medicine doc.

Yesterday I went to the dr. and drove out of my parking lot with tears rolling down my face. Injury to the plantar fascia. He said it won't be fully healed by the marathon, but if I could run through the pain, do it. Um, okay. Now I'm home sitting here, when I should be driving home from my 12 mile run. Ugh, it's so hard skipping runs, especially this late in the game. These are supposed to be my glory taper days, when I can revel in these short, easy runs and daydream about the big day coming up.

I refuse to be negative, though. I still have two weeks to nurse my foot as close to recovery as possible. I've been living in my sneakers (even at work), icing regularly, popping advil, and stretching. I'm going to add in some light running early next week, then build up a bit if I can handle it. I'd like to do at least 1 8-miler before the race. I'm going to be as responsible as possible and get that 4:30 on marathon day!

Oops, I ran a marathon

2007-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

I ran Hartford yesterday, the whole thing. My big game plan was to drop out at mile 20 and use the race as a training run. Didn't quite happen that way...

It was cold when I woke up (which was a half hour later than I do for training runs). I ate my usual breakfast - peanut butter and banana sandwich with water. J dropped me off at Bushnell. It was still cold and I was a little worried about freezing my ass off. I kept my long sleeve on.

I found my group at the carousel and went to find Allison and Jodi at the corner. We all met as planned and hung around a bit. It was nice arriving only a half hour or so before the race. The lines for the bathroom were ridiculous, so we decided to just wait until a few miles in the race.

Nothing left to do but run at this point. There was no organization to the line up, which didn't really seem to matter. There was definitely a good vibe amongst the runners and everyone was all fired up. It was nice for me not to be stressed about time goals and have zero pressure. Well, aside from making my full 20 miles.

Jodi was worried about finishing and I promised her I would stick with her for the entire 20 miles that I'd be running.

Mile 1 - After some speeches, we were off! It took a couple minutes to cross the mats and we were running. The crowd was thick and slowmoving and I was bumped into a few times. As we rounded the corner out of the park, the speed picked up (maybe too much) and we linked up with Jen and Julie and Kim (who had lost the rest of her group). It was getting hot already and I thought about taking my shirt. Allison took off ahead of us in this first mile.

Mile 2 - Still crowded. Over the bridge and around some highway ramps. I took my long sleeve off and stabbed my finger, drawing blood, in the process of re-pinning my number.

Mile 3-4 - More running, legs still getting warmed up. feeling tired. Like always in those first couple miles.

Miles 5 - Somewhere between miles 4-5 we split from the halfsies. I said "last chance to change your mind" which elicited a laugh from my group and some surroundings. Crowds completely disappeared.

Miles 6-7 - Found my pace and feeling good! Settling into the more rural section. There was a cool rasta guy playing the drums and who had a big bottle of liquor on his table.

Miles 7-10 - Feeling good! Onto the main part of the race. The long out and back. We got to see the leaders pass by at this point. The leaves weren't peak colors, but the street was still pretty and with some patches of fans. My favorite part was hearing Sunshine of Your Love from one of the bands and finding out that the band was a group of 8 year olds in baseball uniforms. I love a kid who can rock out.

Mile 11 - The turnaround. Me, Jodi and Steve fell back a bit at this point. Jodi wasn't feeling it, so we hung back.

Miles 12-16 - Finishing up South Windsor. I was feeling really good. Stopped once to work out a cramp in my foot. We kept pushing, but our pushing became more of a walk/run combo. Sometime in the later miles, I started getting really hungry. Like, I could use a sandwich hungry. A hunger gu or shot bloks just couldn't satisfy. Oh well, I just ignored it.

because we were walking so much, I thought it would be okay to run the full. I told Jodi I would run with her if I could find a cell phone to call J and let him know. I saw a runner with a huge belt bag and figured she would have a cell - she did! I called J and he told me it was a bad idea (as I had instructed him to), but I said I was gonna walk those last miles. Thanks, runner, for letting me use your cell! Runners are the nicest people - at least to other runners.

Miles 17-19 - We kept running in front of these two guys then stopping, they would pass us, we'd pass them and the cycle would continue. We had a good time joking with them about this. I was feeling even better at this point. Strong, ready to run.

Miles 19-20 - Goes through a pretty area around the river where the bridge just taunts you. We'd get close to it, then far away. We also had to run up the equivalent of a highway ramp. Ug-ly!

I decided I should start walking. Jodi and I split on the bridge. Walking when you want to run is so hard! And boring. And almost embarrassing!

Mile 21 - 23 Back in Hartford. Junk food station was pretty much the best thing ever. I had some gummy bears and some jelly beans. I turned down some flat coke (ick!), tootsie rolls, skittles, etc. I kept walking, which was awful. People kept saying things like, "good for you for sticking with it!" which I know was nice of them, but just frustrated me. I wanted to say "I'm not running on purpose - this is a training run!" or "I'm not supposed to run anymore!" but that would be obnoxious. I would run in spurts when i couldn't help myself, but for the most part I was good. I connected with two ladies for a mile or so and we walked and talked, which helped me keep walking. I picked up an orange gu at the mile 23 water stop and took off on my own.

Mile 24. I kept walking for awhile, but at a faster clip. At about Mile 23.5, I ran a little bit by the river. I noticed that my time wasn't that bad and I could easily beat my NYC time if I ran a little. (Kind of sad, huh?) I tried to be good and walked a good portion, but ran when I was really bored. I kept a good eye on my watch so my PR didn't completely escape me. The water stops were a good .2 of a mile from the mile marker, which was kind of annoying. this part of the race follows along the river, so it's a pretty run. One I wouldn't mind running on my own sometime.

Mile 25 - 26.2 - Finally, I can run again! I picked up my pace at mile 25, right around the Blue Onion. Runners are pretty thin at this point. I go by the Wadsworth Atheneum and know I'm getting closer and push even harder. By Vito's and I know I'm on the home stretch. Push Push Push. I see the turn and focus on it. Wait, that's not the turn? Oh, the next one. Grr. Keep going, keep going. I make the final turn, curse the minuscule hill, see J waving to me. Push harder and cross the finish!

I beat my NYC time by almost 6 minutes and I walked a good portion of the race!

This race really boosted me for NYC in three weeks. I find I run conservatively in races, but found out I have so much more in me. In NYC, I'm gonna try to keep to 10:18 - 10:30 miles and just walk through the water stops. And my new goal is 4:30. I'd rather run hard and crawl over that finish line than worry I still have more in the tank.

As for injuries, I'm feeling okay today. Sore, but nothing like after a marathon. I took an icebath yesterday and have been babying myself, which I'm sure helps.

Some things to remember:
-I drank water at almost all the stops - usually two cups. I barely drank any gatorade, probably just a bottle, bottle and a half.
-Walking at water stops completes reinvigorates you.
-Bring more gels / gu. I ran out.
-Sports Beans are almost like food when you're hungry.
-Start slow, but not too slow.
- Relax!

And now - it's taper time!

Hartford Marathon Eve

2007-10-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the expo where I loaded up on runners' goodies, got a ticket, and picked up my registration. I'm a bit rattled for tomorrow because of some shin splints. Before I get into all that, let's do a catch up on some of the long runs I never wrote about. Oops.

Before I even start that, I was all happy running, feeling good about my runs when I took a spill during an am run with J. We were running along, about a mile or so in, just getting into the groove, when an orange construction fence came out of nowhere, grabbed my foot, and I went pummeling down in the hard concrete. I laid there a second, confused, hurting, ready to vomit. I was nauseous a good while, but finally surveyed my injuries. Blood down my leg from a cut on my knee, some road rash on my elbow, and a deep cut on my palm. All on the right side. two months later, I still have scars. Ugh. I later went to the health center at work to stock up on free bandaids. When I walked in, they suggested I get checked out. Good thing as the NP removed a bunch of gravel from my wounds. Sick!

Anyway, running.
12-miler at the reservoir. alone . rough rough rough. this was the day after my big spill (or maybe two days?), so I was pretty sore and nervous on my feet.

18-miler. I ran this one myself. That sucked. A lot. I took off work to run it. That ruled. I'm not sure if there's any physical reason this run was so tough. OH, wait! So, within the first 1/2 mile (according to Mr. Garmin), I tripped on the sidewalk and fell on my bad side. Sure enough, all my cuts were cut open again. Grr. Ran back home, cleaned up, set back out... The run definitely got better from there, but what a way to start! I trucked on and on and on. For some reason, that garth brooks song "low places" was pumping me up. I know, ??? I was just happy to get that run over so I could go on my cruise the next morning. woo hoo.

20-miler. My first really long run after the cruise, which wiped out all my fitness. Or at least, it felt like it. I got lost on the way to the parking lot, then my garmin was out of batteries. Oh, and I had to pee. I got directions from Shaun, bugged the hell out of my fellow runners asking about out distance, so those parts got better fast. The pee situation was another matter. I was practically delirious, ready to pee behind anything I could find - like trees in front yards! 10 miles into the run, I finally found an acceptable place (behind a dumpster at the Board of Ed building!). The rest of the run was fine. We slowed up a bit towards the end, but me and Rosin kicked it for the last couple miles. I just wanted that run to end. Oh, and when we finally got back to Bushnell Park, we learned that we had another loop to run. Many dropped out there, but me and R stood strong!

15-miler. This run ruled. Really ruled. Everyone else was just doing 12, but I did a couple extra because I wasn't tapering like them. I ran 9 - 9.30 min / miles those last couple miles, which I'm still paying for.

Okay, I don't even have time to write about the race tomorrow now! Real quick - I'm just running the first 20 as a training run. My shins are in some pain now and I've been cutting back on running and icing a ton. let's just hope they hold up tomorrow!

Muggy 16-miler

2007-08-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

I wish I could come up with some clever titles. I added "muggy" at least. My weekly runs were few and far between this week. I started off fantastic with a nice tempo run on Monday evening. I figured I could get a nice run in on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Thursday happened, Wednesday definitely did not. Thursday I had to throw myself out of bed and out the door before I was even remotely awake. Unfortunately, it was still dark. So depressing. Where did summer go? [whine, whine, whine]. Okay, I feel better now.

Saturday's run ...
Mileage: 16 miles, some long, slight inclines.
Weather: Disgusting and drippy. I'm talking 99% humidity, 80s.
Locale: Glastonbury, East Hartford. Maybe even Manchester.
Pace: 10:30 min / mile

...started off muggy and defeating. The first four miles were an out and back route through what felt like a swamp. I was drenched by the end of the first mile and ready to quit by the end of the fourth. We took a pretty long break (at least 10 minutes) to regroup, get water, and inspect Jodi's gushing blister. She decided to head home for fear of infecting her entire foot.

Roishine and I took off to finish the other 12 miles and hopefully catch up with the rest of the group, now a few minutes ahead of us. We joked around a bit, which got us in some better spirits and took our minds of what we anticipated as 2+ hours of torture. We finally caught up with the rest of the group at Main Street. Getting back with them was a bit of a boost. It's bad enough when you're running and want to give up, but so much worse when you're at the back of the pack.

As we climbed Griswold and Long Hill, I started to get more into my stride and comfortable on my legs. The miles seemed to just chip away at that point. It was hot still, but the sun was tucked behind thick gray clouds, so I thought about how much worse it could have been out there. Long Hill felt short (ha), which was surprising as it's been my nemesis on other runs. We reached the top and finally reached the turn around. A big mental boost was that this run wasn't a single out and back, but two small out and backs and one large one. So, at that point, we only had about 5 miles left. Woo hoo. I could do five miles. I ate a few shot blocks.

Long Hill was down hill the way back, so Roishine and another guy from the group broke away and "sped" down. We grabbed some water at the last stop and poised to finish this up. The last couple miles took awhile, but I felt generally okay. My stomach was behaving, I was confident after running all those miles in the heat; nothing could break me. Woo hoo, 16 miles down!

I'm still sore, though. Funny how that works.

This week, we've got a 12 miler and I'm hoping to squeeze in semi-long run sometime.

15 miler and the new garmin

2007-08-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Garmin is my new BFF. Seriously. BFF. I spent my first run using it - a 4.5 miler last Tuesday - with my eyes darting back and forth between the road and the watch. It's really freeing to just head out of the house and start running until I run the miles I planned, rather than guessing how far I'm running or planning out a route beforehand. And, of course, I'll be able to see how much I'm improving as time goes on (there will be no going the opposite way).

On Thursday, J went for a nice 3+ mile run, the first run he's been on in well over a year. It's good that he's getting back out there and I think he already feels better from that one run. Let's see if he can stay with it.

So, Saturday was our first 15-miler. I don't know about most people, but the 15-mile hurdle is a big psychological one for me. 13 feels like a lot, but nothing close to a marathon. 15 miles feels like that marathon is attainable - even though still a good 11 miles more. Plus, after two crushing 13-milers, my confidence level was low.

After last week's stomach woes, I made a strong effort to watch my food intake staying away from fiber and dairy. I made mashed potatoes and a tuna sandwich for dinner on Friday night and had my usual, pb on bread for breakfast. My stomach was already out of whack before I left the house on Saturday morning and I was mildly concerned. It's happened before and I've had great runs, so I wasn't terribly nervous, though.

The weather was prime running temps - 60s and clear skies - that morning. A lot of the group was absent with it being one of the last summer weeks and lots of people on vacation. Jodi, Roishine, and I started off slowly to keep some energy in the tank for those later miles. The first 3 or 4 miles flew by. Then we hit the hills. They lasted forever, but with only a slight incline, so we were able to maintain pace. Somewhere along this hill, I gave up on my fuel belt. (It's really been giving me issues with it riding up and bothering my stomach. I think I'm gonna have to shorten the belt. I definitely got the wrong size.) We hit the first water station and ate some animal crackers and set off again. We've been taking a long time at the water stops, which has me a bit nervous we're not preparing properly for the actual race. We'll worry about that later. We pressed on still feeling good. We ran, kept running, ran some more. Nothing too eventful. Actually, that was an event in itself. I was wearing new shoes, which felt great, and I was worried about heel pain that had surfaced earlier that weak, but feet were fine on all counts. Phew.

The route took us into some backroads of Glastonbury, beautiful country roads I wouldn't consider running alone for their lack of shoulder and surplus of sharp, hidden turns. Strength in groups, though, right? Oh, and there were hills. Lots of them.

The halfway point was at the top of the hill. I tried to eat some powerade gu chocolate (noting for future reference), but my stomach just wasn't into it, so I ended up carrying it through most of the next few miles. I ate little bits of it to try and get some calories, but my stomach wasn't feeling hot at all at this point. The next couple miles chipped away and we finally hit the last water stop. We hung around here for a bit. I just wanted to get going so we could finish this thing up. Those last couple miles stretched on and on. My legs were getting tired and my spirit flagging. 15 miles is just a long time to be on your legs, you know? We even took a short walk break on a downhill! That's just lame of us.

We kept pushing and finally finished up. I'm not sure our actual pace because I let the garmin run through all the water stops, but I will be sure not to do that next week. I'd like to have a real idea what kind of pace we're running.

I feel so much better being able to check that run off the list, like we're officially into the big miles now or something. And what's even more of a confidence boost? I felt pretty darn good through that run (aside from the stomach) and only minimally sore the next day.

This week we have a 16 on Saturday and I'm just trying to get in some of the weekly runs. Getting up early is getting harder and harder for me lately. I'm just SO tired. I could probably fall asleep right now!

Birthday 10 miler

2007-08-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my 28th birthday and started off with a perfect 10 mile run.

Here are the stats:
Distance 10 miles
Time My watch said 1:50, but we took a couple minute break halfway. I think we averaged 10 min/miles
Weather Perfect. Nice and cool - probably 60s. I had a little trouble warming up after we stopped halfway (I consider this a good thing).
Location Glastonbury

A great run. The weather really was perfect, which was especially nice after the two steamy runs before. I was worried my hip would hurt and I would be lying if I said I didn't notice any pain (and also some twinges in my left shin), but nothing that impeded my performance.

We ran a couple out and backs starting with one down Hubbard and turning around at the park. It was a gradual uphill climb. We turned around, then ran out on another street to Hebron. We went back to the water stop at the park again and hung around for a few minutes. Almost too long a break as my legs started tightening up. One thing I took for granted about the warm weather runs the past few weeks, your muscles stay nice and loose, even with stops.

Overall a nice confidence booster of a run. My legs are tight today and I attribute it to actually running the whole time. The couple weeks before I took some breaks because of the heat, so I didn't make my muscles work as hard. It feels good to be nice and sore today:)

Ugh, one of my old running problems came back yesterday - stomach issues. I was in pain for a good couple hours after my run. I blame the broccoli I ate for lunch. NOte to self - no broccoli within days of running! Again, ugh.

For my b-day I got some great running gifts I can't wait to try out - the garmin 305 and a gc for some long overdue new shoes!

This week I'm gonna try to get in 3 runs before our 15 miler on Saturday. I can't wait to get out there with my new garmin!

13 + some weely runs

2007-08-09T09:06:00.001-07:00

it was about this time last year that my hip pain became unbearable, I took a week or so off, and went to the orthopedist. My hip pain is coming back. I'm hoping it's just a fluke or the result of pushing myself extra hard on my tuesday speed run, but this morning I took several walk breaks to ward off hip pain. I'll just have to up the stretching and keep it in check.

So this week I've done three runs...

SATURDAY
Distance: 13 miles
Where: Glastonbury Training Run
Temps: Hot and Humid
Time / Pace: Over 2 hours - I'd guess an 11 minute pace, including walk breaks.
Goal: Distance

Saturday's run was hot, but not where near as bad as the previous Saturday. I was up late on Friday (11pm is late in my book) because we had a couple friends visting from Boston over, so I was running on a lack of sleep. We started the run in the mid to back of the pack. We were all feeling good, but wanted to stick together, Allison, Jodi and I, so we took it easy. We walked when we needed and ran when we felt like it. Obviously, we ran much more than we walked, but it was nice to have some walk breaks peppered in. Made me feel much stronger during the running. The run went slow and we quickly became the back of the pack. I would be lying if I said this didn' t bother me a little bit. Just once, I'd like to be a fast runner. I know that comes with a ton of work, much more than I've been able to commit to, but still. It would be nice.

We finished the first loop (10.7 miles) and crossed over the starting area where the fast runners were just starting to finish up. We hung around a bit, got some water, and took off to finish the last 2.3 miles. Jodi left at this point - this was her first run in a while and she kicked ass on the first 10.7. Allison and I set in for those 2.3 miles, which stretched on and on. This part of the run by the community center offered little shade and relief from the now blazing sun. We trucked in and finally finished at about 9:15.

TUESDAY
Distance: 4.5 miles
Location: Elizabeth Park loop
Temps: 70s
Time / Pace: 42 minutes / 9.3 pace!
Goals: Speed
Tuesday morning I woke up bright and early (about 5:10) for a run. The run started off rocky - I always say this because the warming up seems to take forever). I picked up the pace with some intervals once I got onto Prospect, which really brought the run up for me. I did three (four) speed intervals, broken up with some slow running, then ran the last 1.5 miles home at a normal pace. I was hot and gross when I got home, but felt good after my first official speedwork ever. yay!

THURSDAY
Distance: 3.5?
Time: I didn't really keep track, probably about 10 or 11 min/mile with walking.
Where: Center to Fern loop
Temps: 70s
Goals: Speed, but that didn't quite work out.
Floating on my happy bubble from Tuesday's speed workout, I though I would try the same for this run. the run started off well, it was temperate instead of the hot sticky weather I was growing accustomed to. By the time I rounded Farmington, i was feeling good. Half a mile later, my hip was hurting and lifting my leg to take the next step brought searing pain. i stopped to stretch a bit, then started. pain was still there. the running itself felt great, i just worried about exacerbating the injury. i walked a block, then ran more. I ran the rest of the run, feeling somewhat better, but still worried about my hip.

tonight, i'm gonna stretch it out, as well as tomorrow. hopefully, i'll be all good for saturday's 10 miler. I'll be taking some advil beforehand for sure, though!

12, I mean 13-miler

2007-07-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday was our second double digit run. It was HOT HOT HOT. And sticky, and humid. Storm clouds hovered over us through our entire run, which we were all secretly hoping for. This run was tough. Especially, considering our minor setback early on in the first 5 mile loop. It was supposed to be a 4 mile loop, but we missed the turnaround. Oops. We had run that loop before, so we just assumed it didn't change. So our 12 miler became a 13 miler.

I'm concerned I'm starting off a bit fast. By the end of that first five mile loop, I was exhausted. My legs were heavy, my body drenched, and my spirit flagging. My running buddy, Allison, even toyed with stopping and picking up again on Sunday. We pushed on knowing we would be mad at ourselves for stopping and we weren't gonna want to run any more the next day. We started walking a bit around mile 7. Just a couple quick breaks up hills. We kept pushing, but stopped when we needed to. The coaches are so supportive, always telling us to walk hills if necessary, so we took their advice. I'm not sure if it's the best method of reaching a faster pace (obviously, it's not), but our bodies really could only do so much. We carried on this way for the middle part of the run. We definitely ran the majority, but took more walk breaks than either of us were accustomed to.

As we were at about mile 8 or so, I ate one clif-cube thing. Whether just mental or physical, that one little cube got me going again. It gave me a little bit of hope for those longer runs, knowing I can rely on gels and gel cubes for a little energy boost. Funny how I forgot all this over the span of a year? Other than that one cube and a few jelly beans from the next water stop, I stuck to just tons of water and gatorade. This was my first run wtih gatorade and I think it actually works (go figure).

Rain threatened our entire run, but the downpour didn't start until about 3/4 of a mile from the end. I was completely soaked - squishy shoes, shorts I could ring out (although I suspect you could have wrung them before it started raining. sorry, that was sick).

Despite really trying hard to be tough, this run kicked my ass. I blame the humidity for much of it, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't losing my confidence. I could really use a good, long run after these two rough ones. There's always next week, and the week after, and the week after...

And for my own personal accounting:
Weekday runs leading up...
M - A Reservior loop with J
T - A 4-miler with C
W - Off
Th - A 4-miler with C

Double Digits!

2007-07-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

This week marks the first with a double digit run! I went white-water rafting this weekend, so I had to get the run in during the week. It's been sticky and humid all week, so I opted to run before work rather than after. I got up at 4 am (!) on Wednesday morning and found the air just as sticky and gross as it was the night before. Nooo! I can run in 30 degree weather much easier than 80 degree weather. But, I woke up that early and was set on getting that run out of the way.

I ate a piece of break and PB and set off on my run. I was planning on doing two big loops - my usual Elizabeth Park look and then a Center loop. It was pitch black out, so decided to run the EP park second. I was feeling good and warm for the first mile just getting into the run. By the time I got to Whitman I was drenched. I kept pushing thinking I just needed to get more warmed up and that I would get used to the heat. More than the heat, I just felt sticky and that the air was too heavy for my lungs. I kept pushing, but was taking water breaks frequently. By the time I reached Mountain, I was mentally breaking down, and my mind only thought of how much longer I would have to keep running - still over an hour at that point! That and just keeping my eyes peeled for sprinklers to run through.

Halfway down Farmington, I gave up. I was gonna keep running, but just home. I was more than halfway done with my water and just couldn't keep cool. I was dumping on my head and the sun wasn't even up yet.

After running through the Center, I found a cluster of sprinklers that I ran though. I started feeling a bit better and when I passed my turnoff to go home, I decided to keep pushing. I may not be fast or that great a runner, but I think I've got heart. It takes a lot for me to give up. Anyway, I kept pushing and the run got better.

When I was in EP, I was about to run out of water when I saw an entire gateway of sprinklers. I ran through them and spotted a water fountain. Perfect luck. And a great spirit boost. I kept trucking and finally finished the run up. My clothes were soaked through. Nice! But, I felt good by the end and probably could have kept running if I pushed myself (by I did my 10, so I was happy). I hope I don't have to get up that early for a run for a long while - I was practically delirious for the first few hours of work.

Some numbers from the run:
Miles run - 10
Sprinklers I ran through - at least 6 or 7
Bunnies spotted - 2
Rigamortous animals - 1
Times I mentally gave up - 85
Times I gave up - 0!!!

Long Hill Rd. Training

2007-07-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

I should have known when the coaches gave us our direction cards with a bulk of the run on a road called "Long Hill Rd." that Iwas in for some trouble! Okay, I'm being dramatic, the run wasn't so bad and I finished the 7 mile run in 1:06. Not bad at all! It's actually kind of fun picking up the mileage. Last year, I followed the more aggressive NYC Marathon training schedule and it kicked my ass from the start. I feel much more comfortable with this build up, comfortable enought that I'm eager to start some speed training. I'd really really like to finish this run up with a 10 min/mile pace = finishing time of about 4:20, but that's not a feat I'm counting on. With my 5:02 finish last year, that would be more than 40 minutes off my time! Also, i'm already concerned about my hip. The achyness is back and I don't want to aggravate any old injuries. Better to play it safe than have to take a few weeks off.

Anyway, Saturday's run. The weater was perfect running weather, chilly at the start, sunny, not a cloud in the sky. The area we ran was pretty boring...started in downtown, turned down a sidestreet and ran in some neighborhoods for the rest. Some pretty houses, but no trees for shade or anything. Oh, and the hills were a challenge on the way up. As it was an out and back, it was a nice downhill second half, though. I ran with the two girls from last week along with another girl in our pace and we chatted the entire time, so we couldn't have been that bad off. Although, I must admit the last half mile was pretty quiet. :)

I ran this morning with Christina and hope to get in another run on Thursday am with her. Tomorrow, I'm thinking of going for a 7 miler at the reservoir. I kind of miss running alone - how weird is that? It's just nice to have that time alone dedicated to just my thoughts and my iPod. Or the sound of my feet when my iPod's out of juice, which happens too frequently.

Not too much on the docket for the 4th tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get a run in early, then we're going to a party at David's, then relaxing a bit before we go back to the grind. Oh, and a neighborhood parade! That should be entertaining at least.

6 mile "long" run

2007-06-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Real creative title today. This morning, I met with my marathon running group for our second run - this one 6 miles. I ended up getting separated from Jodi at the beginning of the run. We were each in conversation with other people and planned on catching up with each other. I thought she was ahead of me, but she actually stopped to tie her shoe and I ran past. She was a bit behind when she was together and just ran with another group.

I did end up running with two other girls and we chat the whole way. We ran the 6 mile out and back at a 9/9:30 pace, which is really good for me for that distance. Plus, it was pretty hilly. As it was an out and back, we got to take advantage of those downhills, though! I was definitely hurting on the uphill and would have most certainly stopped to walk or at least slowed down had I been alone. Best part of running with other people = peer pressure! Although I said in my last post that we were aiming to add two miles on, it just wasn't happening! Not even discussed!

The coaches gave us our entire schedule today and it looks like we're following Hal Higdon's. Next week we have our 7 mile run. I'm gonna aim for 3 runs during the week and try to bring my mileage up a bit. Right now I'm at only about 15 miles - I'd like to up it to 20 over the next few weeks.

Trail Running around the Reservoir

2007-06-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

I've been on a couple runs since my last post. The first on WEdnesday night with my friend, Holly. It was our first run together, so there's always the question of whether we'd be compatible runners. Regardless of all that, I knew it would be nice for us to catch up and chat. We decided to run one 3.7 mile loop at Reservoir 6, off Rt. 44. The trail is completely unpaved, but still well-maintained. This is important for a clumsy goof like myself who rolls her ankles way too often.

We started off and I quickly realized Holly's pace was probably a minute + faster than my comfortable pace. I ran the first mile pushing through, but it was killing me. I asked to hang back a bit, to probably a 9 minute - 9:30 minute pace. This still felt fast as the trail was pretty hilly and not packed down in all places. The run was definitely kicking my ass. Holly, of course, was barely breathing hard!

Overall, a great run! I've grown pretty good pushing myself with distance, but not so much with speed, so this was just what I needed. We're going to make it a weekly date, too, so hopefully it will help in the long term. I've been sore since the run, but that still didn't stop me from running my usual 3+ with Christina on Thursday morning.

Tomorrow morning, I'm meeting in Glastonbury for our running group. I think we're scheduled for 6, but Jodi and I are striving for 8. We'll see how that all goes down!

First Training Run

2007-06-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday was my first run with my new training group. We started EARLY on Saturday morning - I woke up earlier than I do for work! I know I'll be thankful in a month or two when it's sweltering by 8am when I would normally get my butt in gear for a long run.

The running group seems like it's going to make training a lot more enjoyable - lots of young people to chat, some experienced coaches, and having to commit to a time and place for long runs. Also, my friend, Jodi, is running, so it will be like built in QT for us.

We did a 5 mile out and back, which flew by. We ran in the front of the second back, which isn't too bad for me, finishing up around 9 minutes / mile. Not too shabby.

This morning, I met up with another running buddy for a 3+ mile jog around Elizabeth Park. I'm already itching for my next run, quite uncommon for me.

NYC Marathon - Take 2

2007-06-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's official - I'm in for year number two. Last year, I lucked out with the lottery. This year I took a different approach and am running for charity. Tomorrow's my first day of running with my training group. I think I'll benefit from training with a group, not only for camaraderie, but because the group chooses the routes and gives a map, provides water along the training route, but also because I'll be pushed more to increase my speed.

Last year my goal was just to cross thatfinish line, but I'd like to take a half hour or so off my time this year. Wish me luck!

Marathon Report!

2006-11-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

I thought the race was great, but I'm definitely feeling it today. Marathon morning started dark and early for me. I wanted to avoid the congestion that seems to plague the “late risers” only getting to the bus at 6 or 6:30, so I made it to Battery Park just past five. J took me down there in a cab, we said our goodbyes, and I was off. I followed the droves of runners, all carrying the approved clear plastic bag distributed at the expo. I got on the second bus I saw, waiting only about 30 seconds and was off. The bus was humming with excited runners, outside the sky was still black. Not even a sliver of sun. the ride was quick to battery park. I sat next to a guy from Indiana, who was running his 5th marathon. We talked about other races, he did most of the talking which I was happy about. I just wanted to sit back, sip my Ultima and mentally prepare myself.

I exited the bus at maybe 5:30 to an overwhelming site. Volunteers were everyone and were already cheering us on. I followed the flow of people towards registration, flashed my number and was in the village. I headed straight to my corral, marked by giant green balloons. TV crews were set up as were many tents and lines of porta a potties as far as the eye could see. All the ultima was getting to me, so I took a chance with the porta a potties before the lines got too long. I chatted with a couple runners from England and germany on the line. After I finished up, I followed a line of runners toward another area of the green area. Around the corner there was a whole other area, right below the verazzano. I grabbed a bagel and sought out a nice cozy spot next to a fence where I planned on waiting the hours away. I didn’t end up lining up until after 10, which meant I would spend the next FOUR AND A HALF HOURS there. Luckily, I was somewhat prepared. I brought and old towel, some sweats, a hat, gloves, and the all important US Weekly. I saw for a while waiting for the sun to rise, just munching on my bagel. I forgot how good NY bagels are! After awhile my toes started going numb, so my energy was focused on contorting my body in any way possible to keep warm. It didn’t work, but did keep my mind occupied waiting for it to get warmer with the rising of the sun. I could focus more on Us Weekly and spend a lot of time people watching. So many people were from all over the world. I think I talked to more people from Europe than from the States. I was also kept entertained by a few calls from J and one from my mom.

At about 8:45, I set to prepping myself. I turned in my bag to the UPS truck, peed once more, and started stretching. At about 9:45, I was nervous and had to pee again. The lines were wicked long and wicked slow. I was worried I was going to miss the gun! I was lucky and made it to my space just in time. I shed my layers and threw them on the piles of clothing bordering the start up lines. We started edging up slowly and soon enough the gun went off. It still took awhile to even get near the bridge, though. I was in the green corral and in the 29,000s so I wasn't even on the bridge when the race started. At least ten guys were relieving themselves along the start up line. Then, when we got close to the bridge most of the people in front of me were going up this side route. I followed them, but soon realized it was a cut through. I was already running at this point, so I just went with it. There were some military guys I slapped hands with wishing everyone good luck. The start line was completely masked by discarded clothes so I didn't even know when I ran over it. (talk about anticlimactic! And dangerous! I almost busted my ass tripping over all the mounds of clothes) The upper deck had a big band of balloons denoting the start, but what if we had a slightly different starting point? (And where were our balloons?) I couldn’t even worry about that, because I started to get scared that I had hopped in after the line and was going to get disqualified or that my chip wouldn’t be activated. This worried me for at least the first 8 miles. I was kicking myself that whole time! Why couldn’t I have just followed the rules and turned around to get back on line?

That first mile and a half on the Verrazano (aside from the worry stitch I was trying to ignore) was pretty cool. I had somehow pictured the Manhattan skyline being closer, but it was cool thinking about how I was going to run to it. Kind of like my goal looming right in front of me. Physically, I was pretty cold. The wind wasn’t bad, but we were out in the middle of the water.

I made sure to keep my pace slow for the initial part of the race, but think I kept it too slow. Those first 13 miles went by at a snail's pace! The first couple miles, my corral was separated from the rest of the race. We had some fans, but nothing compared to what I would see later. Our fans had heart, though!

Sometime after the 5k point, we joined the rest of the races. That was cool. As soon as we turned that corner, the fans just exploded! There were so many on either side of the street and they were screaming and cheering on all the racers. I had a huge grin on my face that got even bigger the first time someone cheered me on by name! What a priceless feelingJ I’m shy and weird about that kind of stuff, so I would usually just try and make eye contact with the supporter. Some runners did an amazing job inciting the fans pumping their arms, slapping hands with the little kids, really getting into it. Aside from the nagging fear that I was running this only to have my medal stripped later on, I was having a blast. I wasn’t in my pace yet, but still keeping it slow. I really didn’t want to be tired later, so I was keeping things in check. Slowly, I was starting to get tired, which was definitely unsettling. It wasn’t even mile 5 and I felt like I could take a break. I know running’s all mental, but still it’s disheartening. You want to feel indestructible and you expect to, especially at those early miles. I just kept on trucking and tried to really take in my surroundings. It felt surreal; I had to keep telling myself that this was what I had been training the last six months for. It was almost like on my training runs when I would pump myself up just thinking about this day seemed more magical than the event itself. Kind of surprising. I think I always expect the physical aspect of races, think I’m just going to glide through the miles and forget that it’s actually work. I kept getting tired, especially between 8 and 13. I just wanted to get out of Brooklyn, but it went on forever. I liked running through all the little neighborhoods, some I had heard a lot about, others I probably would never see again. I tried to remember intersections to refer to on a map later.

I was drinking water consistently, just about every mile and had from the start of the race. I was steering clear of the Gatorade, though. Little kids were passing out their own water, and paper towels, even starburst. Queens was a blur as I started focusing my energy towards the upcoming bridge.

I kept it slow over the bridge, really trying to keep something in the bank. 75% of the runners were walking at this point, so I had to weave through so many people. The tunnel going through the island was pitch black and more than a bit scary. I was so nervous I was going to roll an ankle or trip. I called J at the end of the bridge to get a location on him and my family and to let him know to keep a look out for me. Before i knew it I was on the downhill and speeding onto 1st avenue.

What a high! I had just made it over the bridge, was feeling good, and there were so many fans! I started picking up my pace knowing the bridge was over and I only had 10 miles left. I saw J and my family and waved my arms frantically trying to get them to see me. I got their attention and I quickly said “hi” and kept going. I didn’t want to stop, my pace was up and I was feeling good. Who knows what might happen to my legs if I stopped? First avenue just flew by, I felt like I was in the 100s streets so fast. By far my favorite part of the race.

The Bronx was quick, too, but I really just wanted to get back into Manhattan to get this thing done. Fifth avenue went on forever. I didn't study this part of the map too much prior to the race, so I wasn't sure when we would shift into the park. not knowing what to expect coupled with all the walkers in the center of the course made this part challenging for me.

Central Park was fun. The hills went fast, the downhills faster. The fans were so alive and cheering everyone on the whole way. Central Park south went on forever. I didn't expect that. I was starting to lose some steam, but really trying to use all I had. Mile 25 to 26 were rough, but I kept up my pace and finally kicked that last .2 miles. It felt great to have some energy in the tank.

I finished a bit later than I expected. From my training runs I thought I would come in around 4:45, but was hoping for something closer to 4:30. I finished at 5:02. My real goal was finishing and having a good race, which I accomplished so I really can't complain.

Now i just have to hope I am lucky in the lottery next year!

13 Miler - Again

2006-10-25T06:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah, finally a good 13-miler. I kept with the same reverse route and slow pace from the 18-miler. This run felt good!

18 mile run

2006-10-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

lots o' running these past few weeks.

Let's start with my 18 miler, shall we?

I can't begin to explain how nervous I was about this run. I discussed the return of my hip pain in my last entry, it was my longest run to date - EVER, and my fifteen mile run wasn't exactly the high point of my training. As I digested these thoughts, I think I focused on learning from my past troubles and didn't worry about finishing. Not because it wasn't my objective, but because there was no choice but to finish.

The night before my run, I read a few chapters of my Jeff Galloway book and started thinking about visualization and creating a mantra to assist me when things got rough. As he suggests, I guzzled water until I could hear it swish, ate pasta the night before and just took it easy. I also decided that my long run route was getting stale and needed to shake things up. I didn't want to start something new and be left high and dry should I find myself caught in the midst of mountainous hills or just be uncomfortable with the unknown, so I decided to add onto the back of my current run and to start from the end. This freshened the route because I got to experience the end part full of energy.

When I started running that morning, it was much colder than my previous long runs, probably somewhere in the fifties. I started off super slow, I felt like i was crawling but knew it was important to spread my energy as thin as possible. I felt good those first few miles, like I wasn't taxing my body a bit. I kept my pace slow and felt great up until about Mile 10, where I started to work a little more. I kept on trucking and started to hit a wall around Mile 15 or 16. I started repeating the words, "Keep running, keep running," to myself and it really worked! Especially during hills. I feel so accomplished after this run. It is the first time I can see myself finishing the marathon!

Hip pain's back

2006-09-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Ugh, my hip's starting to hurt me again. Back in August, I was having a lot of trouble with my right hip. I've experienced the pain before and ran through it for a few weeks. Eventually it got so bad, I was limping! I even went on a couple runs where I had to stop after a half mile or so because I was crying the pain was so bad. After a trip to a sports medicine orthopedist, I found out I had tendonitis in my hip. He recommended cutting back on miles, but warned that if I stopped completely I wouldn't log enough miles for the marathon. I did as prescribed and my hip improved. I've been pretty ginger with it since, always dedicating some time during stretching to that area and avoiding running around with the dog in flip flops and other activities that could exacerbate the injury. It still plagues me from time to time, but this past week it's been even worse. I ran on Tuesday morning and it bugged me the entire run. Yesterday it was a dull pain, but consistent. I'm a little nervous about running tonight. I was planning another 10k reservoir run, but I'm thinking about scaling back to a 5k. I have my first 18 miler this weekend and want to be in top shape. We'll see how tonight goes...

2006-09-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I said I would post the day after my reservoir run, but alas I didn't. I'm bad like that. Anyway, the reservoir run, my first at the main reservoir, was fantabulous. It was one of those runs where you smile, say hello to every runner that passes, pass people(!), and feel like you could run two more laps! I ran a total of 10k and felt great almost every second. I like this route because it combines the beauty of nature (you run through trees and around several reservoirs), some hills, and asphalt pavement. I'm a goofy runner and am always in fear of rolling my ankle on a trail. These are the kinds of runs that remind me why I put up with all the bad ones.

So this weekend I ran my second 13 miler (well, kind of the first because the original first only was a 12.5 miler) . Anywho I think after running 15 last weekend, I thought this would be a piece of cake. I started to realize the error in that line of thinking Friday night when I realized it's only 2 miles shorter and I wasn't feeling too hot at the 13 mile point last week.

I started the run at about 8:45 or something, just after the rain subsided. The run was off to a rough start. My legs felt heavy and I didn't feel as rested as usual for a long run. I blame it on the beer I had the night before. I pushed through, but my tiredness pervaded the first three miles of the run. This is becoming a pattern for me. I spend the first two miles of my run getting into the zone, feeling a little awkward, but slowly loosening up. Then I hit the long stretch of Ridgewood, start off feeling every step, but by the end I'm jamming. I guess I should expect it each time, but it's nervewracking that my whole run will be like those two or so miles.

Once I was in my stride, I glided through those next few miles. The air was mild, but with a hint of dampness. I ran until the end of waterside lane before sucking down my first gel, around 1 hr. to 1 hr. 15 min into the run. I tried ingesting it over a few minutes becuase I read some tips that doing so eases digestion and prevents a spike in energy. I can't attest to either, because I didn't notice a difference from usual. I drank most of my water supply with the gel, so I called K for some backup water supplies. He's been so supportive with these long runs and will meet me to replensih my water if I call him. It's been a lifesaver at times.

After meeting K for more water, I trucked through the next couple miles , some of the hilliest(stopping at hour two to eat a couple shot blocks). It wasn't until maybe mile 11 or 12 that my legs really started to tighten up. It all started when I saw a traffic light and assumed that was the road I was turning on, but soon realized that it was another couple blocks away. Nothing like that to blast your drive. And once I stop that late in the run, my legs just feel like lead when I try to start again.

That night I went to a show and was on my feet the better part of the evening. I was a little sore on Sunday, but not too bad despite the circumstances.

This morning, I went on a 4 mile run before work. It's getting harder and harder to get out of bed at 5:15 now that it's dark and cold, but this morning I didn't have too much trouble. Unfortunately, I battled hip pain the entire run. a little alarming, but I'm not gonna stress too much. Aside from that, it was just your typical 4 miles run up and down Farmington. I did see someone running in a reflective vest. how safe!

next up: another 6 miler at the reservoir!

First post

2006-09-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is my first post, despite being more than half way through marathon training (woo hoo!) I guess it will serve to journal the training thick with long runs. This past Saturday I ran my first 15 miler - my longest run ever. It was pretty rough at points, but I got through it which was my only objective. This upcoming long run is a 13-miler, which I'm hoping will go really well and boost my confidence! Tonight, I'm planning a 6 mile run at the reservoir. i'll report back tomorrow.