3 days until the main event

Wow. The half marathon is in 3 days. Tomorrow we fly out to San Diego, and then bright and early Sunday morning we run through the city. I'm not as prepared as I would like to be, or as I was maybe 6 weeks ago. There have been ups and downs throughout the training. The longest I have run has been 8 miles, and that was during my peak.

Wish me luck. I will post thoughts and pictures when we return to NYC.

2 weeks and counting

Well the San Diego half marathon is in 2 weeks, and WOW. I did a nice 5 mile run in Prospect Park this morning, with no calf pain. I am feeling good about this, and just ready to do it! I have run 100 miles since the year started, which is 100 times more than I've run in my entire life up to this point. Being 24 has been a very big year for me. Training for a half marathon, and now leasee of my very own NYC studio apartment. Wish me luck in my last 2 weeks.

The Home Stretch

A little less than 4 weeks until my marathon. I have avoided running the last week to give my calves a rest. I just have to walk a bit more between runs to make sure they don't get super tight. I have reached my fundraising goal, which is amazing! And now its just all about May 31st. Nothing to stand in my way, except for myself. Wish me luck as I get back in to long runs this weekend.

My legs have failed me

Not to complain, but my knees constantly ache, and my calves were so tight last time I tried to run I couldn't unbend my right knee. I was just hobbling along. Last weekend I did 8 miles. It took me 2 hours and 10 minutes. My knees were sore as they always are after a long run, and don't even get me started on stairs. Wendesday night for group practice we were supposed to run a 5K in Prospect Park, to see how we all progressed. I only made it 6 minutes. And by the time I made it back to the start, most people were finishing.

But I don't want this to get me down. I have 5 weeks and $1000 to raise until San Diego. I just wish my calves would be as excited, and not so fucking TIGHT! Wish me luck.

Week 10: Scotland Run 10K

This morning we did a 10K in Central Park, along with about 8000 other people. I wanted to finish in under an hour and 45 minutes. I finished in 1:44.38. Only 12 people took longer than me. And they were literally packing up the race as I was finishing. Thanks for waiting for us! It was also pouring rain for the entire time. But we got to wear these really awesome ponchos:


There are still 6 more weeks of training before the half-marathon in San Diego. A 10K is 6.2 miles, so basically half of a half-marathon. So at this pace it'll take me 3.5 hours. Wish me luck!

Week 9: Long Run

Even though I was at home in North Carolina this weekend, I still got up Saturday morning and ran 6.5 miles around my brother's neighborhood. It took me an hour to do the first 3 laps and only 54 minutes to do the last 3. I can definitely tell that my stride opens up as I get more in to it, after about 45 minutes I've run through all the pain and can push myself a bit. I had my first GU pack at 45 minutes in, not sure if that boosted my energy or not. The chocolate tasted good, like pudding. The next day my knees and thighs were hurting. And during my short run monday morning I could definitely still feel it.

Only 7 weeks until my half-marathon. I still need to raise $1000. http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/rnr09/eleanorrigby164 Time to start really pushing with people who have held out thus far. Wish me luck! This weekend is a 10K (6.2 miles) in Central Park. I hope to finish in an hour and 45 minutes.

Week 9: Hills

So this is my 3rd run back from my "time off." And of course it was group practice, running hills in Prospect Park. My calves are burning. I dragged my feet getting there, tried to make up excuses. But I went and it felt GREAT! It was definitely a workout. We ran uphill for 5 minutes and then walked down. Actually, everyone else sprinted uphill and then jogged back down. But my pace is a bit slower than theirs. Everyone was really encouraging and cheering me on, which was nice. But I think I'm the "special" kid of the class, who eats paste. I don't really know if I should cheer back for them... this whole group thing is very weird. This weekend I will be home in North Carolina for Nicole's bridal shower, but I need to get in at least one short run and one long run of 6-7 miles. Wish me luck!

Started running again

Alright, after 2 weeks of being sick, and a week of having absolutely NO desire to run, I finally got myself out of bed (at 10am) and got in a short run this morning (2 miles.) Its amazing how much you lose after a few weeks of not running. I am gonna do 3 short runs this week, and get back in to the long runs next weekend with 6 miles. It has been 2 months since I started training! And it is only 2 months until my half-marathon. Wow.

I went out to brunch with everyone after their Two Bridge run yesterday. I hadn't been able to rouse myself to run with the group, but I made it in time for cheeseburgers at The Dram Shop. It is great to finally talk to some people on the team, which I'd been avoiding doing up until this point. Now they actually have a vested interest in my training and I have people to keep me on track. Most of them are doing the Alaska marathon, which sounds beautiful. Its daytime all day, and not really crowded. But San Diego is going to be great. I will have all my cousins and family there to support me! Wish me luck!

Week 6: Sick :(

I spent most of Week 6 only being able to breath out of one nostril. So I missed the 8K last Saturday in Central Park and I haven't run in over a week. Which means I have to start up again after a week of being completely lazy. Wish me luck!

Week 5: To Half Marathon or Not To Half Marathon

Well this morning's run went much better than Wednesday's. I switched to a different pair of running shoes and my shins weren't a problem. But about 25 minutes in my left foot fell asleep... while i was RUNNING on it. How is that even possible? I just kicked it against a pole a few times and woke it up. I did five miles, in an hour and 23 minutes. I did the reverse direction of the loop that I normally do, and it was soo much better running down the long hill by Grand Army Plaza than running up it. While running I decided that I wanted to focus on being able to run a half marathon, as opposed to run/walking a full marathon. Of course, I still have to work on my sweat rash "situation." But other than that I think training is going pretty well. I treated myself to a pedicure/leg massage, it was wonderful! Next weekend we are running an 8K (5 miles) in Central Park, which apparently has lots of ups and downs. Wish me luck! Also, if you haven't already, please donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Societ, who are helping train me for this event, at http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/rnr09/eleanorrigby164

Bad Practice

Tonight was not a very "encouraging" group practice. It was the first Wendesday night that I made it to. I spent most of the day talking myself in and out of going. But I'd been putting it off for 4 weeks, so tonight I had to make it. We were set up to run a 1/4 mile at a faster speed than usual, and then a 1/4 mile slow recovery. I made it through three rounds, but in about the same time most people did 6-8. During the warm-up job my right shin started aching, and became a sharp pain during the first 1/4 mile "on." I limped back, fighting back tears. Everyone else was speeding past me, seemingly at ease. I started a downward spiral of second guessing my decisionon to do this and spent the last half hour trying not to breakdown and have a total flip-out in front of everyone. I'll admit I shed some tears. Everyone was very encouraging, which just made me want to cry even more.

Finally we called it a night. My mentor David was great, and the coaches too, saying encouraging things. But I just felt like a big idiot. This Saturday I am supposed to run 6 miles, which I know I can do. I ran/walked 5 miles last weekend, so I know I can do it. I'm gonna start stretching at work and switch back to my previous running shoes to see if that makes a difference. We have another race in 2 weeks, only 5 miles, through Central Park. Tonight made me even more determined to do this. I hate not being good at something. I CAN do this!

What Was I Thinking??

Well I ran five miles this morning and the whole time I was thinking "what was I thinking?" The first 20 minutes my shins were on fire, the next 20 I limped through the ache and then finally I think my body just went numb and I didn't feel it any more. It took me an hour and 23 minutes, which is about a 16.5 minute mile. At this pace it'll take me over 7 hours to finish the marathon, which also happens to be the time limit. But I have another 3 months to train and build up my speed and endurance. I really have to start stretching regularly and doing other exercises on the days I don't run to build up my whole body strength. I also have to find out how to avoid getting sweat rashes in private places.

It was a beautiful day in the Park. I just wanted to finish in under an hour and a half, which I did. So I consider the day a success and a wake up call. The next road race we are doing is March 14th, a 5-miler in Central Park. It will be interesting to see how much more strength I build by then. Stay tuned for more updates.

Photos from the 5K

Here is a picture of me before the 5K started. It was about 20 degrees.

I am about 50 feet from the finish line at this point. Apparently this is what I look like when smiling while running.

Lastly is a photo of me enjoying the post race bagel. I am also seriously considering getting back in my bed for a nap.

5K

Today was my first road race, a 5K around Prospect Park. It took me 45 minutes and 41 seconds to run the 3.1 miles. It was really exhilarating. At this pace of a 15 minute mile, it'll take me 6.5 hours to finish the marathon. The last 5 minutes I really kicked it in to high gear. Initially I wanted to finish under 50 minutes, but when I realized I was keeping pace to finish in 45 I really pushed myself. The other Team in Training folks were really supportive and all cheered me on at the finish line. Thanks to David my mentor for taking pictures, which I'll be posting soon. As soon as I was done running I wanted to collapse. They gave me water and a bagel, which I devoured like I hadn't eaten in weeks. The beginning of the race was really nerve racking, especially since they "corral" all 5000 runners and it took about 5 minutes before my group even passed the start line.

I have also raised almost $2500 of my $4000 for Team in Training, and I still have 3 months left. I will post pictures soon, check back for more updates!

The Pain

My body hurts, just the part below my knees, but those are crucial parts. Since the beginning of January I have run 23.3 miles. It has been 13.3 miles in the last 2 weeks alone, and the number is only going to climb higher. On Monday I am gonna go to Jack Rabbit Sports and use my 15% Team in Training discount to buy an amazingly comfortable pair of shoes, some cushiony socks, and something to carry water in whilst running. They have a treadmill set up in the store where they record you running, and then analyze to help you find the right pair of shoes for you. I am pretty sure that one of my legs is longer to the other, and that I limp on my left leg while I'm running. Also, most people tend to kick their feet back off the ground while running, and I'm just lifting them enough to move them to the next spot on the road. More info to follow about my running analysis.

Coming up next weekend is my first race as a member of Team in Training. There is a 5K race in Prospect Park, complete with finish line, grabbing cups to drink whilst running, and thousands of people passing me as I struggle through. My goal is to complete it in under 50 minutes, and preferably not last. Wish me luck.

Week 3

This morning was our third group run, which I slept through. But I made up the four miles around Prospect Park once I was fully rested. FOUR MILES! Every part of my body was telling me to stop and that I was crazy. After about half an hour was the point of no return, and the run went by quicker. It took me an hour and 9 minutes, only 17 of which I walked. This was by far my longest run. But you can assume every Saturday that its my longest run ever. I am ignoring the fact that in a few weeks I'll be asked to run double digits, and just trying to get through this week. At about 15 minutes I reached a point of the Park where I could have slipped out in to the Grand Army Plaza and hopped a bus back to my apartment. I'm not sure why I kept going, thank God I did. I am definitely going to avoid missing group runs from now on. The fact that there was no one waiting for me on the other side, and no one to know whether I completed it or not made it very tempting to quit.

I can definitely tell a difference in my endurance. I do a pattern of running 4 minutes, walking 1 and that makes a big difference over running until you cant any more and then just being too exhausted to even walk much farther. The whole run I kept thinking about I never thought this is something I would want to do or ever could do. But it feels great, to know that in 3 months I'll be running a MARATHON. Also the thought of the amazing nap I am going to take this afternoon was a big motivator.

Thank God for this 3-day weekend to rest!

Please support my training and support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at my fund raising website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/rnr09/eleanorrigby164

My first group run

Today I had my first group training session. 3.3 miles around Prospect Park. It was a little chilly, but running always warms right up. Its crazy to think that in less than 4 months I'll be running a marathon. 3.3 miles will seem like a walk down the block. At my current pace it'll take a little over 7 hours to complete the marathon, which also happens to be the time limit. I'm hoping to get it down to 5 hours by May.

Of course on my walk back across the Park I slipped and landed on my right thigh. I'm hoping that doesn't turn in to a nice bruise.

My legs didn't hurt too badly during the run, especially once I got going. My shins were a bit sore, but nothing major. I started out running 4 minutes and walking 1 minute, and than after 20 minutes I switched to running 3 minutes and walking 2 minutes. I don't expect to be able to run the entire marathon without walking, it will just be in larger chunks of time by then. So far so good. Wish me luck for next week!