Recovery Run

Last night was the first run that I've done since the marathon...and it was HARD.

I had to meet my fellow TNT members at 6:40 at the fountain in Central Park. Well, I kind of underestimated the time it would take to get there. I had only a slight idea of where I was going, and had to run to get there. (This drives me crazy because I am always super-punctual if not always early). I was running with the intermediate group because I am not supposed to move up to advanced until the first week of June.

I am SO GLAD because that run absolutely exhausted me. I thought we would just jump in with a couple of miles (seeing as that we are starting our training SO EARLY) but we did a regular workout last night: five miles. It was a good thing that I had someone to talk to (that is what I love about training with a group) because it made the whole thing go a lot faster. She found me because she loved my running skirt (my Triks one) and thought my shirt was funny (it says "Marathon Ho"). It is funny because in group situations where I don't know anyone, I always make friends when people compliment me on my clothes. I guess that is why it is always important to wear something cute :)

My legs were so tired. And here is another weird thing...during my past few runs I have gotten so many blisters. And not just regular blisters – blisters on top of blisters, blood blisters and blood blisters under callouses. I don't know what is up with this because I never ever get blisters. I never even got them when I did toe dancing. There is no way that it is my shoes because they only have about 150 miles on them. I am also wearing the right socks. All I know is that it makes running totally painful. And since I've never had them I don't know one thing about them. So they suck. (I know, boo hoo hoo).

The cool thing about TNT is that the coach is SOOOO thorough. He made us all stretch together so that he could make sure we were doing the stretches right and then gave us the whole reasoning behind each stretch. I already feel like I am learning a lot. He also makes me laugh, which is a good thing when you are going through something as painful as a marathon.

There were about 100 people in each of the groups which means there are about 350 people on the team! And that is just the team in Manhattan! That is crazy!

As much as my blisters hurt, it is nice to get back into running again.

(Oh yeah, and I did a 46:08 for those five miles).

TNT

That's Team in Training...not dynamite.

Tonight is my first group practice. I am very excited. According to all of the literature, I am an "advanced runner" which basically means that I can run 8 miles and want to finish under 5 hours. It also means that I will be training 5-6 times a week. That will be good for me. I want that 4:22 more than ever now!

Even though I am supposed to be in the advanced group, my coach said that I should take it easy until the beginning of June so that my body can recover from the marathon. Sounds good to me!

I have no idea how long the run is going to be tonight. It is called a "get acquainted with the park" run. I pretty much am acquainted with it, because of all the training I did for the Pig, but it will be fun to run with a group and maybe I will find out some cool stuff about the park/trails etc. that I didn't know.

I am leaving straight from work in order to make it up there on time, so I will be wearing my training clothes in the subway. That should be funny :)

Pace Groups (And a Pace Story)

Maybe I don't understand what a pace group is supposed to do...

What I gathered from everything that I read about pace groups is that they were supposed to keep a consistant pace throughout the race. Obviously this is VERY difficult to do. I mean, I can understand falling a little off pace in this process. But when I ran in Chicago, we had five paceleaders for the 4:45 group. They all had their little Garmins beeping the whole time and were obsessive about hitting our EXACT pace on every mile.

For the Flying Pig, Bill and I started out with the 4:30 pace group, with the idea that after we split (around mile 9), we would both pick up the pace (for him to run a 2:12 and for me to finish with a 4:22). I thought I would be okay, because most of my training runs I was doing a 9 minute pace. In fact, on my last two long runs it was almost agony to keep a 10 minute pace. So I thought a goal pace of 10:18 would give me a nice finish time.

We started our first mile at 10:15. I was super impressed because there was a lot of crowd to navigate around. The paceleader was great, monitoring our breathing, giving us tips on running up the hill, etc. He had paced 15 marathons before and lives in San Diego, where there are LOTS of hills to train on. So I felt comfortable with him, like he knew what he was doing.

The next mile was 9:07. Okay? A little fast. Especially since we walked through a water stop. But maybe the strategy was to save it for the hills?

Mile 3 = 10:53
Mile 4 = 9:45
Mile 5 = 10:13
Mile 6 = 9:48

When they stopped for water I decided to ditch them. I mentally needed to get up the 4 mile gradual climb and the worst part of the marathon was coming up. I was already starting to feel a little tired (and probably a little antsy since our pace was all over the place). I decided to take it nice and super easy and logged an 11:22 for my next mile. I thought this was okay since we obviously had made up some time in the pace group. I wasn't too worried.

The next mile was 10:53, but the weird thing was that I was AHEAD of the pace group at this point. This was actually the mile that I slowed down to catch up with them again. I figured the paceleader knew best what he was doing.

I felt better running with them because our next mile was 10:12 (only 6 seconds fast). Then 10:07.

Mile 11 = 9:38 and I was starting to get pissed off because my arms were hurting which was slowing me down. I also didn't feel so great in my stomach (which probably had nothing to do with my pacing). I was feeling tired though.

Mile 12 = 10:01
Mile 13 = 10:06
Mile 14 = 10:29

This is where I started to ditch the pace group again. I KNEW that I could pace myself. I had done it a million times, keeping a 10 minute mile the whole way and only ending about 30 seconds off pace. I was feeling like CRAP and had to slow down.
So I logged a 10:52 and for the next two split the difference between 21:38 (I forgot to hit my watch on mile 16).

I was DYING and had no energy.

This is when my times really fell off.

Mile 18 = 12:32

This was not good. However, I knew the 4:45 group was behind me. So I revised my Plan C goal from "just finishing" to "finishing with my Chicago goal time: 4:45".

Mile 19 = 12:02

I was pissed off at myself and willed myself to pick up the pace.

Mile 20 = 11:27
Mile 21 = 11:42
Mile 22 = 11:03
Mile 23 = 13:12

BUT this is where I stopped at the Port-o-let. I had to pee since the 9th mile and was trying to hold it in all this time. I couldn't take it anymore and decided to stop. Well, I guess after waiting that long I couldn't go. I was like "come on, come on, come on". I was watching my watch the whole time. That little trip cost me 2 minutes. (Sorry if that was TMI).

Mile 24 = 12:16 (I was making goal points for myself at this point. "Just make it to that red house and then you can walk a little". Well, let's just say I walked a lot during that mile).

Mile 25 = 14:29 (Ouch!)"OK" I told myself, "NO MORE WALKING!"

Mile 26.2 = 12:41

I THINK the extra .25 was added around mile 22. But I'm not sure.

At any rate, I was just glad to finish. My knees hurt more than they ever have before. My friends near the finish line said I looked "pissed off". I smiled at the end because I knew there would be pictures taken. :)

But I must have looked really bad because volunteers kept asking me if I was ok. Really? For real?

I saw people walking around with ice cream. Brilliant! Calcium, protein, fat, yummy...just what I needed. I ambled to the end and was draped with a blanket, a towel and a medal. (That was cool. They usually just hand them to you).

I saw my parents and Bill and went over to the grass to get rid of my lactic acid. It took Bill, my mom AND my dad to help me to the ground. I am including the picture because it is funny. But I look extremely gross in it. So then I will end with a cute picture of me and all of my friends so that you can get that scary picture out of your mind. :)

Flying Pig Highlights

I have to say, that the Flying Pig is one of the greatest experiences ever! I know that I have only run one other marathon, but I still think that I would vote for the Flying Pig as one of my favorites even if I had run a ton of other ones. I like it so much that it was still enjoyable even though I had to "Plan C" my run.

The weather was BEAUTIFUL and perfect for running...sunny the whole time with temps ranging from the 40s to the 60s.

The crowds were so much bigger (and more supportive) than last year, which was great because from mile 17 onward I was pretty much done :)

Bill, however ran a GREAT race. He was hoping for a 2:11 for his half and ended up with a 2:02!!!!!

I ended up off my goal of 4:22 by a lot BUT it's okay because had the course only been 26.2 miles I might have actually made the goal I had for Chicago of 4:45. (There was a huge fire at mile 22 and they had to reroute the course. By doing that they added on .25 miles. I am SO GLAD that I didn't know that because I was dying at that point and I would have been so mad. I ended up with a 4:48 but with the recalculation I would have had around a 4:46...not that far off of my Chicago goal!).

Afterwards I had a nice big beer, and let me tell you, it was the best beer I ever tasted!

More to come later, but I'm being totally lazy since I'm on vacation. :)

Sparse Posting

I have been very bad about posting to my blog lately. It is completely work's fault :( When I put in 14 hour days the last thing I want to do is blog. In fact, I haven't really been running much this week either, which is BAD. But I remember reading in Runner's World that the week before a marathon sleep is more important than getting those last few runs in (if you absolutely must choose between the two).

That being said, I am so excited about the marathon!
We leave tomorrow for the long drive, and it looks like the weather is going to be great (knock on wood). I am being very diligent about not drinking alcohol. AND I am going to eat pasta only the night before the marathon, even though my friends are going to be eating delicious cookout food. I just can't trust myself to eat it because I have no idea what it would do to my system. I haven't eaten cookout food in sooooo long. So THAT is going to be a test of my willpower.

I am also looking on to my next marathon.

I decided to join Team in Training and hopefully I can get into New York (TNT doesn't have any guaranteed spots) if not, I will be running the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. Our group already starts training NEXT WEEK! Isn't that crazy?


Let me tell you, these TNT people don't mess around. I faxed over my commitment form at 4:00 one day and my mentor called me at 5:00! AND I've already received a big packet with a book and a bunch of info and my training shirt. I only committed on Tuesday! Most of the runners I have met are very disorganized, so this is crazy for me.

I canNOT believe that the marathon is in 3 days!!!

So Tired

Uh oh. I hope I am not coming down with something. I am soooooo tired. Yesterday I pretty much didn't do anything except for sleep and run. I slept until 11 in the morning, took a two hour nap and was still tired. My run revitalized me until about mile 5.5, when my stomach felt awful. (Luckily I only had .5 miles left at that point).

I had thought about taking something like Airborne or Zicam, but I've taken them before when I've felt this way and all they do is hold off the sickness until you feel a little bit better but not completely. You end up stopping them because you just want to get sick and get it over with. My co-worker also went through this last week. This is NOT optimal timing for me to get sick. I have too much to do at work and of course, the marathon is Sunday. (Oh, and a 12 hour drive home. I guess luckily, Bill is doing the driving.)

OR maybe I am not sick at all. My sister visited us this weekend and we ate food that was a LOT richer than normal. We had a lot more fat too. That DOES always make me feel a little more sluggish and makes my stomach hurt a little. I also felt a little like this when I was fat-loading for the Chicago marathon.

Anyway, I can't believe that the marathon is this week! On one hand, it seems like I've been training forever, but on the other hand the whole thing seems so soon!

Bill and I are going to run together until the marathoners and half-marathoners split up. We have decided that runningwise we are good for each other. I help him keep pace so that he's not tired at the end and he keeps me chatting, which helps the run go faster. I also hope to run with Sarah from the Roncker's group. She's good for me too, for the same reason (plus she is good at helping me keep my pace!)

I am planning on running with the 4:30 pace group, and then if I have extra energy at the end, picking it up for the last few miles.

Oh, and also ( a bit of patting myself on the back here) I guess I really HAVE lost some belly fat. (I always start to doubt this when I look in the mirror. I guess I just get used to the way I look.) I put my pants on today that I just bought in September for my high school reunion and they don't fit!They are down by my hip bones and my belt doesn't even HAVE a notch to make them fit (it would have to be about an inch and a half out from the last notch). And when I looked at the most worn notch from before, it was the second to last one! So I don't feel AS bad about indulging on two donuts yesterday :)

Spring Has Sprung

Last night Bill and I went for our short recovery run in Riverside Park. I really haven't been in Riverside Park in awhile (except to walk our dog) and it was BEAUTIFUL. There were all of these pink trees in bloom (three different kinds...I don't know what they are but they are really pretty). It was still light out, and it seemed like everyone was out! I told Bill that it is pretty funny because in Cincinnati on a sunny Saturday, at Sawyer Point (the park downtown by the riverside) if there were that many people out everyone would say the park was crowded! I guess I just can't get over how many more people live in New York. I mean, it was a Tuesday night!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, because every Saturday or Sunday in Central Park there are so many runners that it looks like there is a race every week. I guess too that parks are much more important here because they are like an oasis in the middle of the city.

Anyway, I digress.

My little, easy 20 minute run was HARD. It's not like my legs are sore or anything, they are just TIRED. It is an effort to move them to run. Bill was more sore from his run, which I think makes sense since he ran his farthest distance ever this weekend. I don't know. I have never had my legs feel this tired. I was thinking it might be all the walking I do here as opposed to Cincinnati, but I have been walking that much since the beginning of this marathon training. I am also a bit stressed out at work, so maybe that is contributing.

Tonight is supposed to be a 40 minute run. I don't know. I might move that to tomorrow. My legs are just soooooo tired.

Final 14

Yesterday I had my last truly long run before the marathon. It worked out well too, because this was the week both Bill and I had to run the same mileage at the same pace. So we ran together in Central Park, trying to incorporate some extra hills just for good measure.

It is amazing to me how much concentration it actually takes to run at your "goal pace". Mine is a ten-minute mile and I really had to think about what I was doing. It is crazy though because I was dead on. When we hit one mile we were at 9:50, at 4 we were at 40:09, at 5.4 we were at 54:00 and at 10 we were at 1:40. We finished our 14 miles at 2:20.30...30 seconds off! I think I should be a paceleader (just kidding of course).

I learned though, that by taking it out at my goal pace (ok, I was a smidge faster, but then I slowed it down quickly) instead of the faster pace that I usually take, and keeping that pace, I actually have energy to go through my entire race. Usually I hit mile 5 and am exhausted. I know this is not rocket science to most people, but I am one of those people who has to actually DO something before I fully believe it.

Both Bill and I were so sore last night, we were pitiful. I was actually a little worried. I mean I was exhausted after 14, and I am supposed to do almost twice as much as that in two weeks. It kind of freaked me out. But I feel fine today, so I guess it's ok.

I'm already preparing for my next marathon by going to a meeting tonight for Team in Training. I am going to take a month off of running (well, at least running every day) in June to get some serious cross training and weight training in. But I am going to try and keep up this "two marathons a year" thing as long as I can.

Nutrition Seminar

So last night I went to the little nutrition seminar that the NYRR put on. I was surprised that it actually did last the full 2 hours! I also found out a lot of really cool stuff. Like: (and I am paraphrasing here)

• Runners tend to focus too much on protein and not enough on carbs. While protein is important, carbs are more important because they give you energy through glycogen. Too much protein actually crowds out the carbs.

• Chocolate milk is one of the best things you can have after a run.

• Men need more fat in their diets than women because fats are what helps with the production of testosterone. Testosterone is needed for building muscle. In general, you can have 1/2 gram of fat per pound of body weight.

• The body absorbs vitamins better through foods then it does through supplements (I know; Nutrition 101. Give me a break though, because I never paid attention in health class).

• 3+ grams of fiber per serving is good.

• Gels should be taken with water, not sports drinks. Otherwise they sit in your stomach, which can upset it.

• You should eat something after your run for faster recovery...however if you don't get it in that "15 minute window" (like they usually tell you) it is okay. That window is for athletes who are training more than once a day...if you have a recovery time of 24 hours you will be okay if you eat later than 15 minutes after your run.

• You can eat something before your run if you are hungry, however, the closer it is to your run, the purer the carbohydrate should be.

I thought all of this was interesting. And they also gave us this really useful chart that told us how much fat, protein and carbs we need according to our weight and how many hours of running we were doing that day. I found that REALLY helpful, because while I may be running for 3 hours on Sundays it's not like I do that every night. They also told us the history of Gels and how you REALLY only need them around mile 17 (when most people hit the wall). Because while it gives you an energy boost it also makes you crash. (That may be true, about I am still going to take more than one with me...maybe I am addicted to them, but I FEEL like they work. And hey, running a marathon is mostly mental anyway. )

According to Bart Yasso...

I should now be able to run my marathon in 4 hours and 22 minutes! Actually, doing 10 Yassos wasn't that bad.

I am still nervous about running the entire Pig at a ten-minute mile pace. But everything that I have been doing has told me that I can do it (the 20-miler in Cincinnati at a ten-minute pace, the 10 Yassos, my declining times on my long runs). I want to make sure I don't overthink the whole thing. When I was a swimmer I used to psych myself out when it came to the meets, and not do as well as I was doing at practice. So I am going to try really hard not to worry about it too much and just have fun :)

Also, I finally understand what all of those other runners in my old running group felt during taper. Everyone always felt like they weren't doing enough, that they wanted to do more, that they had too much energy. (I was always like 'Whatever. I don't know about you, but I am exhausted from all of this training.') Coach Joe always reassured everyone that your body actually needed the rest and that's what taper was all about. He said you should resist the urge to overdo it.

I feel like I am pent up though. I have so much energy. And last night, during the Biggest Loser, I felt this huge urge to lift weights or do some push-ups or something, even though I had just finished my speedwork. I also have gained about a pound and a half this week (frustrating!!!), but I also think that this is because of the taper. (I kind of remember people talking about gaining weight during taper, but I don't know.) At least, that is what I am going to say it is, so that I don't get too hung up on it.

Hmmm, it seems like the closer I get to my marathons, the more neurotic I get about everything. :)

Making Use of my NYRR Membership

I finally got my New York Road Runner's membership card in the mail! I had decided not to get involved in the New York running community until after the marathon. It is just too crazy with my work and training schedule right now. And besides, most of the group runs are too short for my training schedule right now. So I am looking forward to taking full advantage of my membership in May. It will be a good way to make sure I keep running.

However, I noticed that they have a lecture this week. They occasionally run lectures that have to do with running and are free to NYRR members ($5 for non-members). It is right in my neighborhood AND it's called "The Art and Science of Fueling the Running Body". They couldn't have made it easier for me to go to it :)
I have been obsessed with runner's nutrition ever since I started eating correctly because A) It has helped me lose 10 lbs this training season, which I swear is making me run faster, and B) it is giving me a whole lot of energy that I didn't have before, which I KNOW is making me run faster. So I'm pretty excited to go. Plus, it's always good to meet other runners. I will just have to bite the bullet and make myself overcome the shyness I usually have at these kind of things.

The lecture is being put on by Dr. Lewis G. Maharam, who is the medical director for the New York Marathon and a columnist for Runnersworld, Dr. Felicia D. Stoler, the sports nutrition coordinator for the NYC Marathon (she is also the host of some show on TLC called "Honey We're Killing the Kids" andHeidi Skolnick who is the nutritionist for the New York Giants.

I'm also going to an informational meeting next week on Team In Training. I wanted to check them out since Team CdLS will be running Chicago (and not New York) this year. I've heard mostly good things about running with them, but I want to check it out for myself. I am also going to look into other charities too, because I would really really like to run New York in the fall.

Tonight is my last round of Yassos (10!!!).

The Heat Is On

So, this week, I decided to do my long run on Saturday for two reasons. The first being that I loved how last week I had the whole weekend in front of me and I wouldn't have to worry about getting that run in. The second being that it was supposed to thunderstorm in the afternoon and all of Sunday. As it turned out, all of Saturday was very very beautiful...and HOT! (Well, hot for running.)

I realized just how unprepared I am for running in warmer temps. It is always a struggle with me, because I do love running in the cold. But it is amazing how a 20 degree rise in temperature can change your run so much! Last week we were in the 40s-50s which I found enjoyable. This week, running in the 60s-70s was a struggle. I'm sure it didn't help that I chose to run when the sun was at it's highest point and beating down on me. But I better get used to it, because Cincinnati is generally warmer than New York AND we still have three weeks for it to get even warmer. (One thing that was really cool though, is that the park is in full bloom! It actually looked and felt like spring! And I got to see the cherry blossoms in bloom, which was really cool.)

I also felt like I was waaaay off pace, but I think that was due to two things; the heat AND the fact that I ran 20 last week. I think that 20 must have really done me in more than usual, because after my 10 this week my legs were so achy, even into the next day. I ended up with a 10 minute pace, which IS my GP for the race, but I was a little disappointed since my last 9 miler had a 8:45 pace.

I also added in some hills for myself to better prepare me for the Pig. Instead of bypassing the big, sudden hill up to Strawberry Fields, like I usually do, I added it into my run. I also did the top of the park loop TWICE in order to run Great Hill twice.

Next week is my last truly long run, at 14 miles. And Wednesday I am up to 10 Yassos. Yay! Taper!

Recovery Run

Monday night I had a nice, easy workout. I spent all day still sore from Saturday's 20-mile run, so I was debating whether or not to do a workout at all. But I am so glad I did! I guess there is a reason that we have recovery runs built into marathon programs...they really truly help you recover! It was nice to have a good relaxing run and it almost was like the huge payoff you get from stretching after a tough Pilates class.

Tonight though, I have NINE Yassos. Yuck. I am NOT looking forward to it. I am hoping that the gym is not a sauna like it has been recently. With nine of these things I think I am going to be down there forever. I already wrote up my cheat sheet so that I don't have to figure out all of the times in my head. I think with nine of them I would lose count pretty quickly. The only thing that will be good about tonights workout is that it will be affirmation that I can really keep a ten-minute pace for the whole marathon (I mean, if you believe the Yasso principle about that...I do!). Next week will be 10 and then no more Yassos until my next marathon training! Hurrah!

I'm wondering though...is it crazy to cut the recovery time down? I run my Yassos at a 4:22 for each half mile and then take a two minute break between each one. That is how we always did them at Ronckers. But for a true Yasso, I should be taking a 4:22 break as well. I'm wondering what I am gaining by doing that...

Great Hill? Ha!

New York has NOTHING when it comes to hills! Especially when you are comparing to Cincinnati.

Saturday I got to run with my old training group while I was in Cincy. It was fun, especially since my old running buddy, Sarah, was there. They were scheduled for an 18 mile run, but according to my plan I was supposed to do my big 20 miles. So I got to the Running Spot extra early (yuck) and ran 2 miles before the group workout. The first thing I noticed was how DIFFERENT the hills were. I mean, in Central Park there are lots of hills, but they are also separated by flat land. In Cincinnati, it is hill after hill after hill. And Great Hill in Central Park? Maybe it is the size of a small hill in Cincy. Maybe. I could feel it in my knees immediately. But I still maintained my <9:00 minute mile pace on those first two, so I was happy.

I was glad to see that the course we were running did follow the Pig course...including the new changes. But we also added on Millionaire's Mile in the beginning , which has some brutal hills. Sarah and I started out our run at a sub 9:00 minute mile and it was very apparent that we wouldn't be able to do that for long. The hills were just too killer. So we slowed down a bit (reminding each other that if one of us was holding the other back that the other should just go ahead).

The first 9 miles was cake for me. It was after that, that I was really feeling it. I even had to take some Tylenol 8-hour at the truck (thank goodness for the truck). I'm sure Sarah was thinking I had a huge potty mouth around the second half of the run. I just could not get over the hills.

As we started up to Eden Park I was really dying. We only had 5 more miles left but they were all of the killer hills on the course. Sarah needed to walk, and I needed to as well, so I am SO GLAD that she did. I was only pushing through the pain because I was running with her (which is a stupid thing to do). We walked up the hill leading into Eden Park and started running again at Mirror Lake, where we did a few laps to add on (the course was only 16.5 miles so we decided to add on 2 there). Up the killer, most humongous hill on the course we passed another runner who was honking like a goose (???). And then, of course another hill on the way back to Victory Parkway.

That one we had to walk again. And of course, who should come up behind us, but Coach Joe. (They always see you when you are slacking!). He walked with us up the hill and we talked about how we were really feeling it. He made me feel better though, because he said this was a REALLY REALLY hard 16.5 mile course because of all the hills (including some killer ones that are not actually on the course) and the placement of the hills (the worst ones at the end). He said the difficulty made it more like a 19 or even 20 mile run.

We finished and I logged a 3:20.28 for my 20 miles. Gone were my hopes in the back of my head that for some miracle reason my 8:45 pace last week was close to my marathon goal pace (I didn't really have THAT much hope for that anyway). But my 20 mile runs are usually pretty darn accurate in predicting how my marathons will go...so I am VERY pleased with a 10 minute pace on that killer course. ESPECIALLY since we walked twice.

Thank goodness for Sarah too! Not only did she make my run much more enjoyable (we talked the WHOLE time) but she pushed me to run well on that course! If you're interested, you can read her account of the run here.

I think next week I have a 14-miler, so I am just going to bask in this lovely , lovely taper!