WoW

I didnt realize so much time had passed since I last logged on Feb 10th. Perhaps only time has past because I havent run much.

I ran Wed the 11th and Thurs the 12th... 6.85m and 5m that week and I skipped my Sat run to lounge around and have a lazy weekend. In fact all of Presidents Day weekend I did nothing much with my favorite person.

I ran Tuesday on the treadmill for 4 miles. it was a tough 4 miles too.

And then yesterday I was supposed to run another 4-6 miles. It was super windy AND i had a tooth filling thing and got too much novocaine... soooo I didn't run. I had major insomnia. I havent slept. I'm super frustrated and upset.

my third half

I feel like all I have after every race is an excuse. I'm starting to realize however that running really is a precise sport. Sure anyone can do it in theory and you can wear just about anything and survive, to thrive there is a precision that is not for the weak of heart, or brain for that matter.

It's a tightrope I have yet to master.

Thsi past Sunday should have been fantastic. I slept a lot during the week (despite the start of an icky devastating cold sore, migraine and fever- not all at once but rather alternating throughout the week), hadn't run too too much, had done yoga, and had cooperative weather. And then folks, the stomach kicked in. Apparently I ate too much fat/etc the night before. My stomach felt like it was hosting a revolution around mile 4 and WWII by mile 9. I just didn't feel right if that makes any sense.

My time sucked. 2:27 I mean I did stop 2x because I thought i was going ot puke etc but REALLY!?!?

intervals

So I ran last night. First time since my disq/q race on Sunday. Ran 1 mile at 1130 pace and then after hacking up half a lung, I ran intervals... 2 min at 6.5, 2 min at 5.5 5x... took a few breaks (lungs mainly). then ran until mileage was 4. Then did intervals through mile 5. then sprinted from 5-5.5 to try and get that sense of saving fuel until the end.

Then I got a massage. I am wiped today. And have the start of a migraine. I need to leave work early.

overwhelmed

Running is overwhelming. It's not just the running. It's the peripheral stuff. It's the stretching, the laundry, the non running rest days, the cross training days, the rinsing of the clothes after runs, the buying of gels and gatorades from sports stores, the ipod music selection, the hanging and then folding of the running clothes, the dry skin treatments, the black toe extra nailpolishing, the eating every two hours, the buying and preparing the food to eat every two hours. Basically, its a job. Training for a marathon is a damned job. And p.s. I have a job. A 50-55 hours a week job. I have no time for training.

Maybe I'm feeling the pressure, perhaps I'm getting nervous, perhaps it's winter blues (my gut tells me it's a bit of them all) but I feel like there is no time. I bundle up, I walk quickly to the gym, I strip. I run. I bundle up, I walk quickly home. In the winter I hate showering lest my skin feel like it might skirt off like that of a snake. I lather in lotion rich body wash and spend 10 minutes then putting on lotion. It's worse when I run outside. I pack my bag with tights, shorts to wear over tights (Ive never actually worn them bc I have too many layers), my drifit base, my fleecy over layer, my gloves, my hat, my gels, my fanny pack, my hydration belt, my ipod, my tissues, my chapstick. Then I pack my after stuff, my lotion (face), my clean shirt, my fleece or sweater, my socks, my warm hat, my gloves. I pack this huge bag and drag it on the bus to work or on the bus to central park 2x a week. When I come home its a wet smelly mess of gross running clothes half frozen and my work clothes and sometimes even my clothes from the night before from sleeping at Matt's. I am a bag lady.

Walk into my house and there are multiple bags. My running bag. My sleepover bag. My purse (which is used solely on wkds if I am lucky- I rarely use this). My running/sleepover bag. Each has requisite staples (bare bones makeup, chapstisk, $20, a metro card, gatorade, a hair tie). Each exhausts me a little more. Next to the bags there are piles. Dirty running clothes which need to be washed, clean running clothes to fold and put away, ditry work clothes to bring to the cleaners, clothes I've tried on but havent worn. I am a pile and bag lady.

I've decided that until the race something has to give. I have to sleep at my house sometimes. I need the down time. My body needs the down time. I have to get a cleaning lady who will put away my clothes and understand my piles. I can't be bothered to rinse plates at this point and forget pulling out the vacumn. I will take cabs to work in the am which will cost about 50 a week but give me 2 hrs of extra sleep a week. I might buy a treadmill to tide me over until it warms up/lightens up/stays light longer because at 5 am I can't wake up and do that to my body.

My poor body!!! It's tired. I am tired.

My poor boyfriend!!! If I were him I'd be tired of my whine.

I havent run since Sundays 4 miler (from which I am no longer disqualified- not sure how that happened). I will run tonight. I hope. Bronx half is on Sunday. Looking fwd to a better time than Manhattan... We'll see by how much- the forecast is 50/30. Better than 18/12. like MUCH better.

I mapped the long branch course out. I mapped out my training schedule until then. I feel better.

A Racing Wkd

Sunday I ran in NYRR's Gridiron Classic 4 miler. 41:06 was my unofficial time. Unofficial because I num nuttedly deactivated my chip during my warm up run- stupid- but I wanted to know where the finish line was.

So, although it doesnt REALLY matter, it does because it was an improved time (some 30 seconds faster than in December) and because the race won't count to the 9+1 guaranteed entry to NYC2010 which I want the option on.

Regardless, I was proud of my time and even more proud that I dressed light with just a hat, light gloves, a dri fit and a long sleeve tshirt w tights for 30 degrees and wasnt cold. My shins were a bit tight (as were my legs in general) but overall felt ok given my 35 mile 7 day total (thurs-thurs I'd run 35 miles as I think I previously mentioned) and given the fact that Matt and I did a cooking class which ended at 11 on Saturday night and that we went out Friday and drank.

Overall, thumbs up. This week I'm going to train a bit but not hard. Tonight it's a few miles (it's SO nice out, I can't resist) and tomorrow more hills. Wednesday I hope for yoga and Sunday I might run a loop. Overall that should be 3+3+6 which will be a 25 mile week. I'm OK with that :)

Nothing else to report. Back is icky but need more yoga!

and so what? im still a rockstar

I ran almost 11 miles last night in CP. 10.85 to be exact. With Nicole. I was freezing. And I didnt bring gu or water- I kept going the last 3 miles by talking abotu Gatorade- I thoght Nicole was going to smack me on the head- lol.

Had you told me last year that my trailing 7 day mileage would be 33 miles I wouldve laughed at you. Because I wouldnt have believed it myself. I'm now wondering how much of this really is mental. Like if I repeat "I can do this" enough times, can I?

Alex sent me an email that I wrote to him apparently in January 08 and it says "I could never run 15 miles!!!!" Sigh. It's on my to do list for February that's for sure. I'm going to run 15. Skipping 14 altogether. That's nice at least.

Race is on Sunday. Wish me luck. I want to run under 41 minutes. My previous PR is 41:30 so not a huge improvement but I'll be running alone. I'm pumped (I think!!!)

bastards! dont let them get you down

Well. People really should learn to keep their mouths shut. And I, on the other hand, should keep her ears shut.

"You know Jen, I'm not sure I could run as slow as you"
"Don't people run a full marathon in the time it took you to run the half"

EW. I am trying to put the comments out of my mind. But it's hard.

Anyway. Last night was disapointing. I tried to run my hills workout but it didnt happen. My calves were aching after the second set of "hills" so I just finished 2 miles and called it a night. I mean, I did do some weights for my upper body to try and help-- 400 calorie burn which wasnt bad according to my HRM. You know, I havent found that balance of eating and running where I feel great, perhaps its just the weather.

Today I woke up congested and skipped pilates. To be frank, I hate pilates. I like yoga but need some gentle yoga which I can't seem to really find. I actually woke up and forgot I had an 8 am mtg and lollygagged a bit too long before leaving for work. Ugh. Add the runny nose to that and you have a not so happy me.

Tonight I have dinner plans. Which is fine but I feel like I need to work out. I mean I did rest Monday right?