Don't Try This At Home

I was perhaps a little overzealous in my signing up for races before Christmas. See, my goal for the last three years has been to complete the NYRR's Grand Prix of half marathons. This includes one marathon in each borough. They spread them out throughout the year so that you pretty much have to be fit for the whole year. It is kind of a big deal to do all five and you get a patch for doing it.

For one reason or another I have never been able to do this (the first year I missed the Manhattan one, the next year I missed Brooklyn because of my sister's wedding, the third year I missed the last two for obvious reasons.) So I decided that this was my year and signed up for the first of the five which is the Manhattan one.

This one happens to be the most boring and one of the most challenging: two loops of Central Park. That's right, tons of hills! Oh yeah, and being in January it tends to be the coldest too. Two years ago it was below freezing and the cups froze right to the table.

My training schedule was going to have to be pretty aggressive, but I figured I could do it. I did it a couple years ago! The plan for my long runs? A six miler this Saturday, a nine miler the following Saturday, a twelve miler the third Saturday and then the race the following Saturday.

Well, I kind of miscalculated. See, the race is on the 22nd. So I figured I'd better get my butt in gear. I have been not so diligent about my runs since Thanksgiving (yes, I've only been out twice). I have been doing lots of weight lifting and cross training, but we all know that is not the same.

Yesterday I waited until the warmest part of the day, packed up baby in the BOB jogger and headed out along the Hudson Bike Trail for a nice easy three miler.

Hahahahaha.

It was HARD. I forgot how difficult it is to run in the cold if you're not used to it. The breathing totally throws me off. I also just kept getting so TIRED. I know that a lot of this is because I am using a ton of effort to push that stroller. But I also know a lot of it is because I am completely out of (my normal) shape. So I will say there was a lot of run-walking.

And I'm pretty sure there is going to be a lot of run-walking during this race.

I'm still planning on doing it, but I will definitely be backing off of the training afterwards so that I don't injure myself for my spring marathon (or half marathon, I haven't decided).

Yes, running friends, I know this is stupid. But I think I can do it. If anything it will put Gina's and my theory to test: if you are a hard-core runner who does marathons and half marathons all the time we think you could probably do a half marathon with little to no training.

Like I said, I would never recommend anyone else do this. :)