Hill repeats- NYCM finish line

You may remember that back in mid August we did a hill repeat workout at TNT which was the west side of the park from about Columbus circle to the finish line of the NYCM at Tavern on the Green. I wrote about it here.

My splits then (for the 0.31m 'hill') were: 2:31, 2:35, 2:36, 2:36, 2:40

Last night I ran 4 repeats instead of 5, mainly bc I was worried about blisters.  My splits were as follows:
2:15, 2:16, 1:58, 1:48

The 1:48 may be slightly inflated but boy were my arms pumping. I have arm pumping issues my friends. I don't pump. I run like a wimp. But, I am learning. I am pumping. I honestly think working out my arms and abs and upper back has helped me with this. I am a complicated bird though, given that my back is fused from my thoracic vertabrae 3 to 11. ISSUES!

Anyway. I was really pleased with that. The largest differential was still about 42 seconds. Which is crazy. My average pace round I was 8:15. My average pace round II (excl the 1:48 which I think is a bit shy of what it should be) was 7:00. AMAZING improvement.

i think it was tapering the last days resting my foot. Maybe it was all the hill training. Maybe its all my strength training. Maybe my watch was wrong? Why does the doubt creep in?

I have another blister. Honestly this is insane. It's all on one foot. I've never had substantial blisters before. It's laughable. Today I'm goign to take off from running, inspired from yesterdays run. I am goign to paint my apt so avoid the charge when I move Friday (I painted a wall gray). So yea, there's that. I am running Grete's Gallop Saturday. I don't expect to PR given that I'll have moved Friday.

Beat my number and week plan

I am #43535.

Here are past years results:

2009- f50: 4:53
f43, 5:!6:29
m42, 4:53:42
f28, 4:46:49
f32, 5:31:51
m49, 5:53:24

I am only interested in beating the 4's I hope I can pull off at least the 4:53 (and how weird theyre so close!!!) but I would love to beat the 4:46. That's still my ultimate goal. Most of them went out too fast, but isnt that most marathoners??

Yesterday I did weights and 20 min elliptical (to test the heel). I have my running socks agian (unpacked a few boxes to find them, I move Friday) but its a bitch and a half. Stupid feet. Today I have TNT and will run about 5m. Tomorrow I'm goign on a medium run- 8m in the park, any takers? Thursday will be 6 rounds of yassos on the treadmill- about 5.5 miles and then Friday is the move, Saturday will be grete's gallop and Sunday we'll see. Yoga? Recovery run?

I feel like I havent done enough. I've only done two 18-milers, a 16miler and then multiple 12-14s. That is not enough. This weekend I will run another 16. Wkd after a 20, wkd after a 16. Really, is that enough?!@?!?@

NYC race number

I am #43535! I like it.

disaster

my blister caused another blister. i guess i was walking weird all week esp friday when i went to ikea. long story short, my entire heel is/was a blister. a painful, sub skin nasty blister. awesome. how does this even happen?

i decided to postpone the long run to sunday on friday so i could enjoy sat w M and drink wine Friday night.

Needless to say because I couldnt put pressure on my heel Saturday all day, the Sunday run didnt happen. My foot is MUCH better. MUCH. I did yoga yesterday (90 min vinyasa) and did weights and elliptical today. Tomorrow I should be OK to run as long as I wrap it well.

DO NOT WEAR COTTON SOCKS. EVER!!!!!! THE DAMAGE LASTS FOR WEEKS.

skipped run

I skipped my yassos tonight.

Le sigh.

My blister has taken over my life. It hurts. It's infected. It looks repulsive. It's tender and achey.

I figured it would be better if I rested now and ran long this weekend vs re-injuring it tonight (which I would've) and then suffering even more on Saturday. YIKES!

So I went to West Elm to buy curtain rods (which now I am most likely returning because Ikea has a better solution cheaper and better overall too- damn Swedes really do things better!!!) and then hobbled home. I am so overwhelmed with the move. I have been eating terribly. I had 3 cookies today, pizza, salad, roll, egg whites on a wrap, coffee, yogurt, carrots... hmmm I guess I didnt eat too terribly. I probably only had the cookies because I was still hungry! whoops.

Goes to show you, eh?

Tomorrow is a strength workout. Saturday is 16-18 miles. Awesome. I am psyched for the week after. Only 13!!! Then 20, then 16, then 12, then 6 then marathon!!!!

4m pacing run

Last night TNT's workout was this: Course: 4 mile loop. 72nd St. transverse up to the 102nd St transverse, cross over the west side, head south back down to the 72nd St transverse, back to Bethesda How to run it: You're going to warm up – nice easy pace – to Cleopatra's Needle (the obelisk right behind the Met). From there, run at your long run pace to E. 102nd St. Once you turn left onto the 102nd St. transverse, pick up the pace to your half marathon or marathon pace (if you're not sure what that is, run at about 75% effort), and continue that pace until W. 86th St. (traffic light at top of the hill). From there, try pushing it to about 80% effort level to W. 72nd. That part of the course is all downhill or flat, so it should be easier to push it and challenge yourself. Cool down back to Bethesda.

I ran in 39:12 which is faster than I normally run in general. Factor in that the first mile or so was definitely at talking pace, we definitely picked it up during the 3 bitches. Mentally it was tough for me given I had run the course how many times this wkd?!!?! I ran with TNT but also brought a guy from work who runs so that was very helpful. I did stop for water 2x.

My killer blister is back today and very very tender. I need nu-skin apparently. Right now I'm just trying to get through the week.

Today is an off day because of lack of time in general. This wkd is a mess. I have to pack my apt and my bf's apt and paint walls in each apt with respective paint (what BS!!!).

I like my ROCKED IT tag. Makes me feel good. Even if it was only 4m :)

Thursday is running after work. Friday is arms/abs and some legs in the am and then at night I have to pack and get organized. Saturday will be my long run- 16m-ish and Sunday will be yoga and a recovery run.

ING Marathon 18 m TUNE UP

The day before is really important to a long run. Fo rme at least. Friday night I was up until 1 am packing since I move Oct 1 and can't really do anything during the week between work and working out. Saturday I went to ivengar yoga (read: easy) and then my mom came. We went up to the new apt to measure some stuff and then drove down for brunch and then did some apt errands (brita, curtains etc). Basically the point of me telling you all this is that I was on my feet all day, didnt hydrate enough, didnt eat too much, and didnt know where my running junk was until 10 pm when I went to get ready before going to bed.

Sunday am I got a roll w jam which I ate in the cab on the way uptown. I'm over the subway. Stresses me out. I got to the park at 6:45 and the course marshals were yelling at us that we were late. YAWN. I'm not interested in being stressed out when the race hasnt started yet! The corrals were all closed and I was legit one of the last to start. TOuche. I dont care!

I followed the plan OK until my blister (I've packed all my running socks!!!) developed and always killed me. I would post the picture but I think you'll pass out, like, honestly. I've worn cotton socks before but OBVIOUSLY this was a terrible idea.

I really wanted to follow my race plan so off I went but I had GI distress and stopped for about 4 min at the 81st street real park bathroom because the portapotty lines were soooo long (like usual). One thing to note: the gatorade on the course was not mixed well, it was too strong which also leads to GI distress.

Lap 1 of the park was pretty good:
m1-11:10

m2-11:08
m3-10:52
m4-10:54
m5-11:40
m6-10:49

the 11:40 was me trying to slow down from running 2m a little too fast and then m6 was me being like, ugh i suck at pacing.
Lap 2 here we come... I was happy and ready t opick it up. I felt GOOD. I ran into some TNT girls and started up harlem hill. They were apparently running 12min pace which I didnt realize. OOPS. m8-10 is the west side, the 3 bitches (the hills) and then up to almost tavern on the green. i rocked it!!!! 10:35 and 10:02!!!! M 10 wa sme trying to slow down because I had been giong a bit too fast... m11 i always stuggle in that part of the park,  I am unsure why!!!

m7-13:36- harlem hill, ran with the tnt girls who were running really slow, needed to be on my own!!!
m8-10:35
m9-10:02
m10-11:05
m11-10:40
m12-10:44


LAP 3:
m13-11:59 harlem hill with mike, not too bad considering i walked a bit... stupid ear!!!
m14-11:46 (stupid rolling hills)weird guy screwed up my splits
m15-11:48- walked the water breaks and couldnt get into a groove
m16-10:35- lower part of the loop trying to get back in the groove
m17-12:31- cat hill killed me, walked a teeny bit
m18-10:17 (fastest and flatest mile of the course)

very inconsistent on the 3rd lap. I ran into Coach Mike and I was quit eobviously hitting my hydration issue. Or rather, it was hitting me. I had my swollen fingers again (not quite as bad as the Bronx) and was all goosebumpy. The temp was only about 68 at that point but it was starting to get sunny. I had sunscreen on, which I'm wondering if that adds to the distress, like maybe I can't sweat as I need to?

Coming off of Harlem Hill this man starts talking to me. SInce I was running by myself I sparked many a convo with people because I was bored etc. He turned out to be uber creepy! After telling me he was a pilot for a wealthy famil ybased in Paris (why this would impress me is beyond me) he asked me (verbatim) "so how did you get such a hot bod" Now people. I am not that gross, this I know. However, we are in a race with a bunch of runners, many of whom (read: most) have 'hotter' bods. I responded (no judgement!!) by saying "I don't eat cupcakes" Anyway I tried to lose him on the 3 bitches and somehow managed to. But UGH!!!! Gross!

In a nutshell I had a good race. I shouldnt paid attention and kept up the pace the 3x around but was being 'good' about hydration etc. I shouldve just stuck with it and had the excellent race I wanted. Overall I know I coudlve kept it up but didnt because I wasnt in the mood. HA! I ran 10:35 and 10:17 in the last 2/3 miles. Cat Hill and I have never been friends so I accepted defeat on that one!

I don't think my 4:40 marathon goal is plausible, however, I am goign to keep pushing until taper and see what happens. If you dont give yourself a chance, then you definitely won't get there!

Here's to a great week!!! Week 13 of training for me!