I didnt feel like getting out of bed this am. I had wine and cuban last night and was up until 1 am with friends. I slept to 9 am which felt so incredulously late and skipped the TNT last Saturday run. Instead I lounged all day, did laundry, made my pile for next Sunday and finally, an hour before sunset decided to drag my butt out of bed to run. I ran 3.83m which was 1 lap of the reservoir and to and from the park. The perfect weekday am or early pm run to be honest. I like living so close to the park.
Without realizing it I ran a 9:44 pace. Uhm OK. I dont think its possible, honest. But the watch and runningahead dont lie, right? Even if I was off witht he mileage it would have to be quite a bit to move it to an 11 min pace.
Oh well.
Tomorrow I am running the Poland Spring 5-mile kick off. I will not run too fast!!!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
The luck of the orange
I lurk in the Runners World forums. I post as well, but more lurking than posting (although I have been posting over the last week a ton I must admit). Apparently there is a myth of sorts associated with running in Orange at the ING marathon (imagine who couldve planted that?!!?) 
Anyway. I might pick up some orange laces at the expo AND I might run in the bib I ran in last year which was orange (see side pic). Even if I didnt have my best race ever- it was pretty good for coming down with Bronchitis exactly 30 days before the race. AAAAAAAAAAAND I had the best time (I really did!!!) so maybe there is luck to the orange. Now I want to iron over my letters and recreate last years look. I just have a good feeling about that. Tonight I ran in CP, just about 4m at a 10:00 pace (ish). I ran with a partner here at our firm who is also running the marathon. It was a nice change and I was able to air some issues out which was nice. Plus, honestly the company was nice. We ran from the East drive at 65th street up to 85th cut into the bridle path then reservoir at engineers gate and then looped the reservoir continuing on the bridle path at 86th/85th street and ran back down the west drive to 6th ave. It really was a nice change up from what I do (which has been sporadic but a lot of lower loops for safety and laziness. I remember how much I used to like running on the bridle path so perhaps I will do a loop of it this weekend and ditch the TNT people. I suppose my only concern would be uneven ground and tripping. I am paranoid after my trip last weekend!
My foot is a mess still. It's comical. My plantars wart was cut out deeply and feels a tad infected. There are still 9 days so I am not worried. I am more worried that I'll walk/run weird and put strains on my calves etc. All in all I need to worry a little less.
So I sit here with my bagel, fall weather in the air (and on the menu today is pizza and more pizza with salad) so marathon season is in full bloom. I know I'll be sad when it's over so I really need to give it my all. Stick to my race plan (to be divulged next week) and just feel good about it. Mental prep people!!
Happy weekend! I am running 6 tomorrow, recovring through 4 on Sunday (still debating whether or not to do Poland Spring which I did sign up for) and then did weights (Arms and Abs!!) this am. I am really happy with my arms. I am looking forward to post marathon where I can try new moves and not worry so much about hurting my back (which I'm concerned with now bc it has been soooo good, too good almost).
On the sickness front I am definitely getting much better. I'm still on Xyzal and Nasonex and rinsging my sinueses 2x a day but the ears are better and I'm hardly stuffy in the am anymore. I am still coughing a few times to clear out my throat but nothing like before where the coughs would last until lunch, in fact I dont even cough after 9 am anymore.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The monster that lurks within
Yesterday I ate something in the ballpark of 3,000 calories. I am not quite sure how this happened, except to say that I had eaten 1,000 calories before lunch. I was just insatiable. And that's not to say I didn't try to stop it, oh my friends, I did. I drank 10 bottles of either Pelligrino or Vitamin Water Zero and a few cups of tea in between to try and stop the hunger. Literally, I ate every hour. Popped chips, cereal, yogurt, dried fruit, egg whites on a wrap, banana, mango. For lunch I had olives, cheese, tomatos, I tried to kick up the fat factor wondering if that's why I was so hungry. NOTHING worked!!! I was giggling at myself by mid-pm because I was for real hungry. Not made up, not comforting myself, I was just plain hungry.
And so I ate. What the hell, right?Mostly healthy things but really, when you eat that much, some is unhealthy. Yes, I had cookies... and a roll... and some hersheys. Grand scheme it didnt make a dent.
Yesterdays workout perhaps took more out of me? I am not sore today but I did have issues dragging myself out of bed this am. I was late, as per usual.
I am starting to check out the accuweather forecast- It's obviously way too early. It incites no emotion when I see the day surronded by rain- perhaps I am getting wiser. I will not waste energy panicking about something I can not change.
Tonight is an easy 3m run. I feel as if I will participate even though I had another podiatrist treatment and the bottom of my foot is burned (literally) raw. I will be fine. Tomorrow yoga in the am. I must get in bed early.
And so I ate. What the hell, right?Mostly healthy things but really, when you eat that much, some is unhealthy. Yes, I had cookies... and a roll... and some hersheys. Grand scheme it didnt make a dent.
Yesterdays workout perhaps took more out of me? I am not sore today but I did have issues dragging myself out of bed this am. I was late, as per usual.
I am starting to check out the accuweather forecast- It's obviously way too early. It incites no emotion when I see the day surronded by rain- perhaps I am getting wiser. I will not waste energy panicking about something I can not change.
Tonight is an easy 3m run. I feel as if I will participate even though I had another podiatrist treatment and the bottom of my foot is burned (literally) raw. I will be fine. Tomorrow yoga in the am. I must get in bed early.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Recovery Run and Monday am gym workout
I woke up this am with a clear head and a full breath. Wow, it's been a while, hello air! I am feeling better but still have icky post nasal drip. Apparently that can just hang around for well, forever. Let's hope thats not the case.
Saturday I rested long and hard before a few errands post run. Sunday was a day of rest too. Brunch, facial, rest rest rest. I did manage a 3.25m recovery walk with the bf. We walked all the way up Riverside. It's freaking gorgeous. I wouldve moved to be close to that park alone!
This am I woke up early and went to the gym. 35 min of arms, some squats and lunges for added strength and abs. Last night the bf told me I looked thinner. Hey, I'll take it.
We're now officially into taper. I'm not quite sure what that means as my mileage was never oh so high.
What do you do to taper?
Saturday I rested long and hard before a few errands post run. Sunday was a day of rest too. Brunch, facial, rest rest rest. I did manage a 3.25m recovery walk with the bf. We walked all the way up Riverside. It's freaking gorgeous. I wouldve moved to be close to that park alone!
This am I woke up early and went to the gym. 35 min of arms, some squats and lunges for added strength and abs. Last night the bf told me I looked thinner. Hey, I'll take it.
We're now officially into taper. I'm not quite sure what that means as my mileage was never oh so high.
What do you do to taper?
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Last long run
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.
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.
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.
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