Today was our last long run before the marathon. We ran from the Mall to the Q'boro bridge, up 1st Ave to 115th then over to 5th and back into the park to finish the marathon course. We were supposed to run up to 125th but the guy with whom I ran and I went to Starbucks to pee on 1st ave and lost the group. We decided to make up time but cutting out part of the route.
Overall the run was fine. I had forgotten how freaking difficult the last 10 miles are. They really are insanely hard. The elevation is all over the map and its just hard.
I was a bit upset today. I really dont feel like I have it in me. Then my mentor wrote me this. I heart her. She is so right. And with that, and a few tears, I am excited for Nov 7th.
Enough of the negative self-talk! You are a marathoner. You have completed multiple marathons, which is more than approximately 90% of the population. That, in itself, is a huge accomplishment.
It's easy to get hung up on PR's and times, but we both know that all the Excel spreadsheets, bib analyses, etc. don't mean anything when it comes down to race day. Some days are better than others. Some days PR's come easily. Other days they don't come at all. That's part of being a runner (and something I am working hard to accept).
But in the grand scheme of things, your time doesn't matter. What matters is that you've devoted almost six months to training, running, fundraising and preparing for the NYC Marathon. You've put your heart, time and effort into your runs and races this season. And some were better than others. You were sidelined with bronchitis, head colds and the like, but you continued to train. You ran those hill repeats and intervals without complaining, and you showed me how much heart you have.
On November 7th, we get to be superstars! We get to run on a course run by world-class athletes, and the spectators will cheer for us as though we are. In their eyes, what we are doing is crazy, insane, unbelievable, inspiring, powerful (insert additional adjectives here). And yes; it's all of those things.
I am proud of you. I am honored to be your mentor this season (yes; it sounds cheesy...sorry; it's who I am). So what if you don't PR? It doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter to the spectators cheering. It certainly doesn't matter to your coaches and teammates. What matters is that you run the race with your heart and your head and you finish.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Cars in Central Park
So I have always been anti cars in Central Park. Why do they need to be there? Who needs to drive through the park? Don't people know this is a pedestrian city?
And then today happened. I was tired and stuffed up from my event last nigth and from my lovely head cold (no infections!!! just pressure!!) and decided to take a cab. Well, he entered the park on the west drive at 85th street and what a treat! In NYC you never see trees when you're in a cab. It was a pre-fall wonderland. I loved it. I want to take a cab through the park daily. I'm sure it wasnt the quickest, but I was at peace when I got to work.
I was supposed to run today but I'm stuffed up, overtired and cry-y. I am getting a massage instead. Whatever, its taper right? No junk miles? They wouldnt have been junk miles, but at this point, do I even really care?
And then today happened. I was tired and stuffed up from my event last nigth and from my lovely head cold (no infections!!! just pressure!!) and decided to take a cab. Well, he entered the park on the west drive at 85th street and what a treat! In NYC you never see trees when you're in a cab. It was a pre-fall wonderland. I loved it. I want to take a cab through the park daily. I'm sure it wasnt the quickest, but I was at peace when I got to work.
I was supposed to run today but I'm stuffed up, overtired and cry-y. I am getting a massage instead. Whatever, its taper right? No junk miles? They wouldnt have been junk miles, but at this point, do I even really care?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Pacing Run
The workout tonight was as follows:
Course: 3 lower loops, starting and ending at Bethesda
How to run the workout: For your first loop, you'll start with a warm-up by running easy until W. 64th St., then pick up the pace to about 75% effort. For your second loop, you're going to hammer it -- push it to 85%+ effort for the entire loop. You should be tired once you finish this loop. For the third loop, you're going to try to run the same pace as you did for the first loop. This is not a recovery loop -- the purpose of this loop is to run a decent pace on tired legs.
I really fail the whole pacing exercise as a whole, however, tonight was an OK night. What is 75% effort to you? To me, it means MP. So, I ran as follows: (lower loop =1.7153 miles)
Lap 1: 18:42 (11 min pace)
Lap 2: 17:55 (10:28 pace)
Lap 3: 17:52 (yay us! although that wasnt quite the point!!!) (10:27 pace)
My legs were pretty beat up from my pyscho no rest workout yesterday. I did about 30 min of arms/abs with squats and lunges instead of rest (dont ask I don't really know why I did this- one last hard leg workout???) and then ran 1.25 m at a 11:30 pace to loosen up my tired from the wkd run and recovery run legs. Overall was a good workout and stretch. Tonight felt good. Not easy, but good. I am still post nasal drippy. It's gross. It's def not bronchitis or an infection, in fact, I feel better post run which my doc says is 100% indicative that I need rest, fluids and good nights sleep to feel better. I do feel better, for the record, but I am also panicky over being sick given how I got sick last year the month before the marathon. So take everything I write about being sick with a grain of salt as its been overanalyzed twelve times.
Anyways. I ran with 2 girls I had never met before which was fun, I like meeting the new people. I really want to keep up with TNT. I really fell into it this season, I guess going to the practices helps. The mission moment tonight (a 5 min blurb where someone explains what TNT means to them) was a girl who when her mom was doing through radiation for melanoma (or something) she went out and actually got hit by a car 12 blocks from her house. Of course her mother was called and her mother, who had raditation that DAY, RAN to her daughter. It's just a story but at the same time it shows the human spirit and what you can do AND how thankful we should be that we CAN run and DO run. Every time I run I am running for those who can't. Sometimes it really just resonates with me. She also (coincidentally) is cousins by marriage with the Rutgers football player in the news this weekend after being paralyzed in the game vs Army. Read about it here. Just makes me think we're lucky we can run and lucky that we do, in the largest, greatest city in the world (IMHO).
Tomorrow my friends and I who run a charity are throwing an event. So no working out. Thursday will be another run. I really need me some yoga, perhaps this weekend.
Course: 3 lower loops, starting and ending at Bethesda
How to run the workout: For your first loop, you'll start with a warm-up by running easy until W. 64th St., then pick up the pace to about 75% effort. For your second loop, you're going to hammer it -- push it to 85%+ effort for the entire loop. You should be tired once you finish this loop. For the third loop, you're going to try to run the same pace as you did for the first loop. This is not a recovery loop -- the purpose of this loop is to run a decent pace on tired legs.
I really fail the whole pacing exercise as a whole, however, tonight was an OK night. What is 75% effort to you? To me, it means MP. So, I ran as follows: (lower loop =1.7153 miles)
Lap 1: 18:42 (11 min pace)
Lap 2: 17:55 (10:28 pace)
Lap 3: 17:52 (yay us! although that wasnt quite the point!!!) (10:27 pace)
My legs were pretty beat up from my pyscho no rest workout yesterday. I did about 30 min of arms/abs with squats and lunges instead of rest (dont ask I don't really know why I did this- one last hard leg workout???) and then ran 1.25 m at a 11:30 pace to loosen up my tired from the wkd run and recovery run legs. Overall was a good workout and stretch. Tonight felt good. Not easy, but good. I am still post nasal drippy. It's gross. It's def not bronchitis or an infection, in fact, I feel better post run which my doc says is 100% indicative that I need rest, fluids and good nights sleep to feel better. I do feel better, for the record, but I am also panicky over being sick given how I got sick last year the month before the marathon. So take everything I write about being sick with a grain of salt as its been overanalyzed twelve times.
Anyways. I ran with 2 girls I had never met before which was fun, I like meeting the new people. I really want to keep up with TNT. I really fell into it this season, I guess going to the practices helps. The mission moment tonight (a 5 min blurb where someone explains what TNT means to them) was a girl who when her mom was doing through radiation for melanoma (or something) she went out and actually got hit by a car 12 blocks from her house. Of course her mother was called and her mother, who had raditation that DAY, RAN to her daughter. It's just a story but at the same time it shows the human spirit and what you can do AND how thankful we should be that we CAN run and DO run. Every time I run I am running for those who can't. Sometimes it really just resonates with me. She also (coincidentally) is cousins by marriage with the Rutgers football player in the news this weekend after being paralyzed in the game vs Army. Read about it here. Just makes me think we're lucky we can run and lucky that we do, in the largest, greatest city in the world (IMHO).
Tomorrow my friends and I who run a charity are throwing an event. So no working out. Thursday will be another run. I really need me some yoga, perhaps this weekend.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Monday Blues
Mondays just suck. With long runs on Saturdays the weekend never feels long enough.
I slept a lot last night and didn't have the energy to get up to the gym this am. I am going this pm FOR SURE and am going to do weights and perhaps a short run. Tomorrow I hope to wake up early for yoga and will run with TNT (pacing workout) in the pm. Wednesday I hope to do weights in the am. Thursday is a pm run. Friday is am weights and Saturday will be the last 10m of the marathon. Sunday will be another fitness walk.
Last night Matt and I went on a 4.5m fitness walk along the Hudson near sunset. It's so gorgeous! I love the UWS, have I mentioned that???
My legs arent tired or sore today which is nice. I wish I wouldve gotten up this am but honestly, was just tired. I think the melatonin makes me groggy. I should stop taking it but I sleep so much better when I do!!
I am hacking today. WHAT IN THE HELL!?
I slept a lot last night and didn't have the energy to get up to the gym this am. I am going this pm FOR SURE and am going to do weights and perhaps a short run. Tomorrow I hope to wake up early for yoga and will run with TNT (pacing workout) in the pm. Wednesday I hope to do weights in the am. Thursday is a pm run. Friday is am weights and Saturday will be the last 10m of the marathon. Sunday will be another fitness walk.
Last night Matt and I went on a 4.5m fitness walk along the Hudson near sunset. It's so gorgeous! I love the UWS, have I mentioned that???
My legs arent tired or sore today which is nice. I wish I wouldve gotten up this am but honestly, was just tired. I think the melatonin makes me groggy. I should stop taking it but I sleep so much better when I do!!
I am hacking today. WHAT IN THE HELL!?
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