My Adventures in the NYRR Medical Tent

Before I start this post I just must say: no, it wasn't a big deal, but yes, I ended up in the medical tent after the More Half Marathon. It was actually my first experience of this sort in all of my running career, which I guess is sort of impressive...especially considering my tendency for injury when I ran cross-country in high-school.

Anyway, it all pretty much started AFTER the race. I was freezing cold and couldn't wait to get into my warm and dry clothes since I had been running in the rain for 2+ hours. Bill and I maneuvered this over by bagcheck. He held up two umbrellas and handed me dry clothes while I did a soccer change (this is where you change your shirt into a new shirt without showing any skin...it came from the days when we would get our soccer jerseys the day of the game.) I was so glad I brought lots of clothes. Off came the soaking technical shirt and sportsbra and on went the dry race t-shirt, a dry sweatshirt hoodie and a dry racing jacket. I also dumped my wet socks and shoes for sandles. Unfortunately, I didn't even bother with bringing pants because I figured there was no way to change out of my skirt in a non-obscene way. (Yes, I could have gone into a port-o-let, but I think that's kind of gross and anyways I don't trust my balance these days.) At any rate, I think this whole not-changing-out-of-my-skirt was my downfall. (In my defense though, I DID look all over for those space blankets for afterwards, but I think they had run out by the time I finished.)

We then proceeded to find Gina to cheer on our other friend Bess, who hadn't finished yet. Gina and I were very pumped to go to brunch afterwards. So after we saw Bess finish, I stepped off of the curb to head over to the finish and OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

I didn't even know what to call where I was feeling pain. My inner thigh? Was this my groin? My adductor? All I know is that it was this immense, radiating pain and it made it very hard to walk. I have NEVER EVER felt pain like this. We were now way behind Gina and I told Bill we might be taking a cab to brunch, even though it was only a few blocks away.

Each step intensified the pain and I actually started making audible noises. They were so loud that people started looking. Luckily, one nice man said "There's a massage tent back there." We thanked him and turned around. Bill texted Gina to go ahead without us. The massage tent seemed so far away, and I couldn't even tell which tent it was. It was getting worse and worse and I really couldn't move.

Bill then went over to a course attendant and asked where the medical tent was. Luckily it was only about 10 feet away. But those 10 feet seemed like a mile. I barely made it in. I just kept thinking "Maybe they could get a wheelchair and bring me in."

Now, from the minute we got into the tent it was all business. I kid you not. NYRR does NOT mess around.

They made me lie down on a cot (quite a feat) where they covered me in three blankets. They made me wrap one around my head and I felt like I looked like the guys in the sleeping pods from 2001 Space Odyssey.

This lady with a clipboard asked me for my number (of course, attached to my wet shirt in a plastic bag within a bag, so that took awhile to get) and took down a bunch of information from my tag.

Then, they moved me to the "warmer part" of the tent onto another cot. A man asked me what was going on and then called over a doctor saying that it was my hip (aha! my hip) and that I needed it worked out.

So the doctor asked me all about the pain, and I just kept stressing how this has NEVER happened, EVER in all my running. Bill thought that this was funny because he thought the guy probably was like "haha. What? In all your training you did for this half marathon?" I really did feel stupid being there. Like I didn't know what I was doing or something and overexerted myself (which I didn't).

I am very very sensitive about this now. I think it's because people keep asking me "Is it really okay to run while your pregnant? Really? Even all of that mileage?" And believe me, everything I've read says yes, its okay, but most importantly my OB says it's ok. So I'm all worried that people will be like "See, you shouldn't run like that!" and "You have to be more careful!"

Anyway, the doctor was great and only had to work my leg for like 10 minutes before I could move it completely again.

He said that it was just a muscle spasm brought on by the cold. Standing around afterwards in a wet skirt certainly didn't help matters. He also said it was probably also due to the fact that my circulation is much much different since I am pregnant. The solution? Go home as soon as possible, get into a warm bath and just make sure I got warm. I could also alternate cold and warm compresses on it. (He also had no problem with me running a half marathon while four months pregnant.)

When I went to stand up, I could move again without ANY pain! I could walk normally without a limp! It was amazing!!!

I actually made it almost all the way out of the park normally without it seizing up again. But when it did, it hurt LOTS. So we took a cab home. A whole 3 blocks.

It must have just been the cold though, because as soon as I got into the building from the warm cab I was walking with only a slight limp, and once I was out of the tub I didn't have any pain for the rest of the day.

Guess I learned my lesson – body temps drop dramatically after you STOP running. I may have been able to get away with it before, but not anymore: change into ALL dry clothes after a wet run.

The MORE Half Marathon

It finally arrived! The day of the half marathon! It's kind of crazy because I didn't have a marathon to train for this year, so this was sort of my "big event". However, I didn't really get myself all psyched-up to run or anything. No big pasta dinner, no going to bed super early, nothing like that. In fact, I was pretty low-key about the whole thing. But I think that was maybe because my goal was just to finish the thing.

I will say, the expo for this event was pretty cool. There were LOTS of good freebies. In the race bag alone you got a full-size box of wheat pasta, a full-size Murad moisturizer with sunscreen, a Lady Speed Stick, a bunch of weird (and scary) vitamin supplements, Silk soymilk, a lululemon headband, and a bunch of other stuff that I really can't remember right now. (I was mainly psyched about the expensive Murad moisturizer, which normally retails for $30!). There was all kinds of other free stuff at the expo tables...Lady Speed Stick was giving away free technical shirts! My parents (who were in town visiting) got me this cool florescent green short sleeve hoodie made out of technical fabric. Along the side it said "I Run Like a Girl". I had to wear it Sunday, so I broke the whole "Nothing New On Race Day" Rule. I actually kind of broke that rule a lot because I also was wearing a new sports bra, new Balga socks (my favorite kind!) and new elastic shoelaces.

Of course, that morning it was POURING down rain. And it wasn't supposed to stop all day. I brought lots of extra layers in a plastic bag that Bill so kindly held during the race. I was pretty psyched because I was in the red corral, which meant I was in the group with the second fastest times (of course, I wasn't counting on keeping that kind of pace for this race). Standing in the rain was COLD, and I couldn't wait until we got moving.

The course was pretty packed, but people were being nice. I was actually surprised at the pace of the girls around me (who also started in the red corral) because we were keeping a pretty easy 9:58ish pace for the first couple of miles. I also decided that while long bangs and layers are stylish right now, they don't make very good running accessories in a downpour.

I felt pretty good, but like I was pushing the pace a little. I was having a hard time taking it back though. I couldn't believe I was already up at the 102nd street transverse! Then, a great surprise! Gina was running right beside me! It was so nice to have a friend to chat with, ESPECIALLY through Harlem Hill. We noticed that we were going a little fast though (I had a 9:21 pace). OK, time to slow down for real. I needn't have worried. Harlem Hill really took it out of me.

Unfortunately, I lost Gina at a water stop, when I stopped and she didn't...which was probably okay, because I needed to slow down a ton, and she was going for a sub 2:00.

I did see Bill though, in the lower loop, and smiled and waved. One loop down, one to go! When I saw him on the other side of the lower loop I was still smiling but a lot more tired. It was more like "One more loop? A whole loop to go?"

I think I looked tired too. When I passed the course monitors at 72nd Street on the east side, one of them said "Good job Emily! Water just around the corner!" I was like "OK." Then I was like 'Wait! How did he know my name?' Turns out it was one of my TNT teammates from the summer. Yay! As stupid as it is, it helps me to see people I know on the course.

I started singing in my head to distract myself. I got stuck on Britney Spear's "Radar" (I know, I know! Lame!) which ended up being good because it is nice and easy with a good rhythm...exactly how I needed to run. Before I knew it I was at 102nd Street again!

It was here that I realized that I was sort of kind of cold. Like not hypothermia cold, but just uncomfortable cold. It was distracting me (but not in a good way) on Harlem Hill and all I could think about was how I wanted to get OUT of my wet clothes AS SOON AS the race was over...especially my soaked sports bra that was right against my skin. Ok. Time to stop thinking about that.

Finally I was over Harlem Hill and I started segmenting the race in my head. My next goal was 90th street, where I knew the little rolling hills were over, then 72nd, where I would see Bill again and also only had one more lower loop to go, then 72nd on the east side, where the race was almost over.

I started feeling good again, and my splits went from 11:30s (for the past two miles) back to a 10:15. I was now shooting for a sub-10 pace for the entire race. It was definitely doable.

Oh. Except for the fact that I had this nagging nagging nagging need to pee. The problem was that I had had this need for about the entire race. At this point it wasn't even nerves or adrenaline, it was just downright annoying. MOSTLY it was annoying because I only had 1.6 miles to go. I tried to ignore it more. It just wasn't in the cards...I had to stop. ARGH. Luckily, in a rainstorm in the 11th mile of a half marathon all of the port-o-lets are deserted.

Back on the course, and when I passed the carousel on the east side, I picked it up. I entered the long corral at 72nd street and looked at my watch (I couldn't resist)...looks like I was averaging a 10:03 pace. NOOOOOOO! So I REALLY kicked it in.

But...I couldn't do it. I finished with a 2:12, which averages out to a 10:04 pace. But I was still happy. I ran a good and tough race and now I had a pretty medal to wear all day :)

The Secret's Out!

Not wanting to run...feeling tired...low energy...slower times...

Yes, these are all symptoms of running while pregnant...which I am...very much so. (My running friend Jen was also confused as to why Bill was checking my energy level so much and being so overprotective in my latest blog posts).

Honestly, I was just happy that I was still allowed to run! I mean I spent a good part of my summer last year studying the Runner's World Guide to Running and Pregnancy and learning just about everything I would ever need to know about running while pregnant (yes, it is safe...no, you do not have to keep your heart rate below 140...etc) but I still had this sinking feeling that my OB would say "forget it". Of course, she didn't. She is a runner herself and her partner is a tri-athlete who only stopped training in the third trimester because she was sick of all of the rude comments and stares. (Not only am I "allowed" to run, but it is recommended that I do at least 30 minutes of working out a day most days of the week!)

The book actually is WONDERFUL and I would recommend it to anyone, because it tells you everything you would ever need to know about running while pregnant and everything you will go through emotionally and physically (or, at least it has so far), which was a nice preparation.

One thing I didn't know? My times will increase dramatically. There is just no way around it. And I'm actually okay with that, although it took a lot of mental prep. I just keep telling myself that it is a whole new ballgame. It gives me "new" goals too. Like running a 5k race under a 10 minute pace. Or doing a long run without stopping. Or running my longest distance ever (while pregnant). Or even just training for a half marathon (which is this Sunday, by the way!)

Luckily, I have a GREAT support system with my friends and family and running buddies. So it's made everything a lot easier.

Bill and I have actually learned to really ENJOY running slower together. He said my attitude towards running is much more balanced, and he can tell that I really love running again (not that I ever didn't, but sometimes it really is more of a chore to tick off of the list).

And now that the secret's out I can FINALLY write about running freely again and not feel like I'm hiding anything :) And boy, do I have a LOT to write about now.

12 miler

This is it! The longest run of the season before the half marathon! I was definitely excited to do the mileage, but still a smidge sore from a 4-miler I did during the week while I was traveling in Philly. Seems my calves had it in for me.

Luckily, we had a whole group to tackle this task, which always makes running more fun..A bunch of my friends are doing the More Half Marathon and we decided to run it together...EASY, and then reward ourselves with brunch.

It's amazing how much faster it all goes when you are chatting. There were 4.5 of us (Donna only did 6 miles with us because she is not actually running the half) and we never ran out of conversation :)

We also maintained about a 12 minute mile because it was Bess' first 12-miler, Gina said she hadn't really been training like she should and I was nursing super sore calves. Guess what? It totally worked! I was sore up until the evening, but after that, I was fine! I was so amazed. I also told Gina that running at that pace seemed a ton less daunting even though it took a lot longer.

Gina said that taking your long runs at a much slower pace is actually a very crucial part of the Pfitzinger plan which is an intense plan that is heavy on mileage but promises extraordinary results. Gina used the plan to get her first sub-4:00 marathon in NYC last year and ended up smashing her goal! I had told her that if it worked for her then I was going to try it for my next marathon. (So I guess I have to try it now).

But I was very intrigued by this whole long slow distance thing. I mean, Coach Ramon ALWAYS tells us to do this, but the fact is, I run my long runs not THAT much differently than my goal pace for the marathon.

Anyway, we were all proud of ourselves when we finished, and walked another half mile to brunch, where I rewarded myself with a stack of pancakes and a plate of cheese fries (gotta have the sweet AND savory!)

Scotland Run

This Saturday Bill and I decided to run the Scotland Run, which is a 10k in Central Park.

I figured it would be a good idea to run the loop in "racing conditions" because in the More half marathon I will be doing that twice. It was also my first warm race of the season, so it was a good check on fluid intake, heart rate and all of that good stuff. Plus, I had heard that the Scotland Run was a lot of fun and that I should definitely do it.

I guess most of the "fun" comes from the cool race schwag. I always love races that give you stuff other than the typical white men's tee, even if it's stuff I never use again. I guess I just love free stuff. Kind of wasteful if you really think about it.

This race had a reusable bag with the Scottish flag on it, a plastic Scottish flag, a Scottish flag pin (which I will be adding to my bag full of race patches and pins...yes, I am one of those people), an ugly baseball cap and some Scottish flag tattoos. Plus, the shirt was at least clever. It had the race map on the back in a tartan plaid design.

Bill was a little bummed because we were all the way in the back...the second to last corral. Well, he was. And it was all my fault. When you sign up for NYRR races they base your corral on your best pace for the year in one of their races that is over 2 miles. So my corral is based on my 8:03 pace (and how many people are in the race). Since Bill had lost his NYRR number and had to re-register this year he had no race history...except for the 5k we did in March...where I ran a nice and easy 9:15 pace. I don't think he would have been that far back in another race (I say this because my 8:03 pace put me in the orange corral and I am usually in the green...I think it goes Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, Orange, Aqua, Purple, Gray, Pink). I went back into the gray corral with him though, because I completely and totally appreciate him running with me. :)

My goal was 9:30 pace, especially with the heat. I was feeling a little warm at the starting line already AND it was sunny out.

The start was crowded but I was focusing on feeling comfortable and hoping that I could negative split. Despite the crowd, I went a 9:40. Perfect! I felt pretty good too. It was warm, but I felt like the race was manageable. It was also nice because we were running clockwise from the west side, which meant that the bad hills were first, and Cat Hill would be a downhill instead of an uphill.

One thing I do hate about the slower pace is how long it takes to run a race. I mean 8:03 and 9:40 are not THAT different but the miles seem to take FOREVER. It drives me crazy. The whole time I am like "WHEN is the next mile?"

I definitely felt like I should hydrate at every stop, so I did. And it didn't slow us down either. The next mile was a 9:34.

Even on the hill we were keeping a good pace (in fact, we probably should have slowed down a bit). I like running up the back side of Harlem Hill much better, and we ended up logging a 9:14.

Then I felt tired. I was done. Totally done with the race. I told myself to look forward to something mentally, so I tried periodization: Hey! Only a little bit to Cat Hill which is a downhill, then you're already at 72nd. Then all you have to do is the lower loop and you are almost finished!

It worked until 72nd. Bill kept asking me how I felt and all I could say was "tired", but that wasn't even right. It wasn't tired exactly...more like it was becoming an effort to run. It was not quite as easy as the start and I was starting to concentrate on more things (my heartrate, where the waterstops were, how many hills were left, that next spot of shade) which was making me enjoy running less.

I usually feel like I can kick it in at the end, but that wasn't so true this time. I had worked as hard as I could and was content with finishing at the same speed with which I tackled the lower loop. No second wind for me this time.

Don't get me wrong, I felt fine afterwards. Even like I ran a good run.

And I especially enjoyed the chocolate chip bagels at the end along with the cool and funky Scottish music from Whiskey Kiss in the party area. (I always secretly wanted to be one of those girls playing the electric fiddle in those funky Celtic bands). It was also fun to meet up with my friends Bess and Donna afterwards.

I will say, I can't seem to get enough of racing this year...even if it does seem harder. It just seems very rewarding. :)

Long Slow Distance

Some days running just seems daunting. That's how this Saturday was to me. I was in a bad mood in the morning and the last thing I wanted to do was go for a ten-mile run. Also, Bill was nursing a foot injury, so I would have had to do it by myself. Normally, I wouldn't have minded, but I just did not want to even do one mile.

Bill made me a deal...he would RICE all day and try at least part of the run tomorrow with me. The only bad part was that Saturday was sunny and Sunday was supposed to be gloomy. I also pretty much hate putting my long run off until Sunday, but at the same time, I have learned it is so not good for me to run when I don't feel like it.

Besides, I have been trying very hard to follow Coach Ramon's advice:

"Run only if the run you are about to conquer has meaning and satisfies both your body and mind. stay away from senseless runs, they only damage your confidence and your body."

So, I took it easy on Saturday and on Sunday I actually felt like running!

I was a little nervous since it was my longest run of the year so far. I was also a little nervous because I was trying out some new equipment (my Amphipod handheld bottle) and a new Gu (Pineapple Roctane). But I decided to suck it up.

The plan was a full loop of the park (6 miles) and a middle loop. I wanted to start out at about 10 minute miles and end up with 9:30s-9:40s, averaging a 9:50ish pace. Just some nice, long, slow, distance.

Well, I totally forgot the Colon Cancer 15k was going on, so Bill and I just joined the runners for our first loop, knowing we would lose them at the top of the park when they broke off.

I have a love/hate relationship with doing races when I'm not racing. Obviously it is crowded, which makes it a little harder to find space. But it is also very distracting (in a nice way). There is no pressure to get a good time, so I kind of settle into the rhythm of the race and go with it. This whole thing is pretty funny to me because I am a very high-strung anal-retentive person at other times in my life...but when I'm not going for a PR I tend to be very Zen about running. (This is also something I am trying to do ALL the time in running).

Bill, on the other hand, has a different mindset during the whole doing-races-while-not-racing thing. He turns on his competitive edge (almost like he IS racing). Sometimes it takes the Zen mindset right away from me (Note: Bill and I are exact opposites...so it makes sense that we would be opposites here too. Yes, we drive each other crazy, but I think we would drive each other crazy more if we were exactly the same. So I know it sounds like I am giving Bill a hard time/the most awful person in the world, but its not true.) :)

I have to keep verbally reminding him that "we do have 9 more of these you know." And physically reminding him by just slowing down the pace, and then he eventually realizes that he isn't running with me anymore.

I knew this would all be over at 102nd street though (where I was pretty sure the race would break off as we continued north) so I wasn't tooooo worried. We were consistently taking about 15 seconds off of each mile, starting with a 9:42 (whoops), so I was going to try and pace a little better. I knew Harlem Hill was coming up, so I wouldn't have to worry long.

Harlem Hill has been my breaking point all season thus far, so I set out to exorcise my demons this time. That meant NO stopping! It's rough, because as soon as you hit the top of the park you can feel it in your legs, and that's just the BEGINNING of the incline.

Luckily though, I muddled through. I think I was the one driving Bill crazy now. I was very much trying to stay in the zone, listening to my breathing, my footfalls, concentrating on my body...but Bill kept encouraging me to try and talk. He just wanted to make sure that I wasn't overexerting. But I was trying to concentrate and kept giving him short "yes!" answers. Then he would prompt me, asking if I could say more than one word. Finally I said "Absolutely, I can say more than one word. I am just TRYING very HARD to CONCENTRATE."

The hill was tough, but I managed a 10:00 pace for that mile. I was very happy for that because I have learned that no matter what, Harlem Hill adds 40 seconds onto my pace time. No fail. Every single time.
So I had to be pretty happy with that.

I actually felt very very good during the first 6 miles...the next loop seemed very doable in my head.

And it was...

Except for the fact that my pace was way off. I was hitting 10:18s and thinking "This can't be right...I feel more like we are doing 9:40s." The next one I did pick up to a 9:42, which made me feel better. But then I was back to 10:00. ARGH.

Bill told me he felt great and could pick it up, but I just couldn't. I needed to stay in my pace, even if it was 10:00 miles. Luckily Bill is a nice and understanding partner and we finished it together (with a 1:38/9:50 pace).

I felt quite accomplished.

This was the first long run I did this season without stopping to walk AND the most mileage I've done so far this year. I just kept thinking that adding 3 miles on for the half marathon in a month is totally and completely doable.

My goal for this week is to work on negative splitting my runs. I think I do much better when I do that. But I think I needed to run an entire long run without walking before I could worry about that.

Sometimes I feel like I am learning to be a distance runner all over again. :)

Saturday in the Park

I think this weekend was the first truly nice weekend that we've had since about October. It was very warm AND sunny! I was looking forward to spending the whole weekend outside and just being sort of lazy.

So, in the whole "being lazy" vein, I decided to not set my alarm to get up and run, but sleep in instead. Normally this would be okay, but I kind of forgot about the heat being more intense as it gets later. I also kind of forgot that every single person in New York City would want to spend time in Central Park. Whoops.

Oh well. :)

Bill and I set off for the park around noon (yeah, the hottest time of the day) for our 8-miler. The plan was one full loop (ACK! Harlem Hill!) and one more lower loop (ACK! Tourist-city!). The plan was also to take it easy since it was in the mid-70s for the first time and also since it was our longest run so far by 2 miles.

Matters were not made easier by the fact that my fuel belt doesn't really fit anymore. It is a small, and it seems in the off-season I have gained a few inches around my middle. Whoops. So I was relying on the myriad of water fountains around the park as well as Bill, who was carrying Gatorade in his fuel belt.

As we rounded the first lower loop I was actually feeling pretty good. I was right on pace at a 9:22 mile and I was feeling pretty hydrated. Maybe too hydrated...so we stopped at the Boat Basin, which is only about 1.5 miles into the run. Embarassing. :) I noticed when I was standing in line for the Women's room (why is there ALWAYS a line?) that I was also sweating profusely. So I took some of Bill's Gatorade too, and we started up Cat Hill, which was kind of cheating I guess, since we had such a long break before it.

We seemed to be able to keep pace, until we reached Harlem Hill. I did have every intention of running it without stopping, but it was just too hot. So I took a mid-way stop at the water fountain (good excuse) and had some of the best and coldest water ever.

After that there really wasn't too much stopping. I just kept telling myself that the first hot run of the year is torture, and you have to listen to your body. I think I ran it smart, and as such, I was pretty happy with myself. We even finished under a 10-minute pace (which includes all of that walking, because I didn't stop my watch)!

Even though it seemed to take forever I was so glad that I did it and glad that I got to spend the pretty spring day doing something that I love anyway :)

Long(ish) Run Triumph!

Ok, let me start by saying this: I am probably NOT the person to emulate when it comes to training for long-distance runs. I have the best intentions of following schedules, but it never actually happens. Even with a simple training plan like the one I am following for the More Half Marathon, I just don't seem to log the mileage I am supposed to log.

This time especially. I am just not so gung-ho about the whole running thing and finding it hard to get up the energy to follow the plan. So I modified it (big surprise) the way I usually modify plans...I use the long run as a strict guideline that I must do on the weekend. During the week, I try to get in 2 runs. These runs vary in distance, but usually one tends to be a measly 2-3 miles and the other is a 4 miler. On the other days of the week I do some cross-training.

Now, the number of days I do mirrors the training plan, but the mileage, not so much.

Last night I told Bill we were going to do a longer run than normal because it was so nice out (I was even wearing my shorts!). Instead of doing our Riverside run up to our old apartment, we were going to do that run, plus our run from our old apartment to Grant's tomb (which was our old "standard run").

It seemed long. And I didn't realize how long until we got almost to the turnaround and Bill started talking about mileage (which I try not to think about these days). Turns out, I did exactly what I was supposed to do on the schedule last night...5 miles! (We actually did 5.42).

Despite being EXTREMELY tired at the end, it was a good run!

I felt pretty slow the whole time, but we ended with a 48:18, which means we were doing an 8:54 pace!
I was ecstatic with this, since my goal these days is to do under 10 minute miles on my runs. Also, I didn't end up stopping to walk, which I keep doing on distances over 4 miles!

I will take every little victory where I can :)

Slacking Again

So, I took an entire week off of running. Well, actually, an entire week off of working out. I could say it was because I was traveling a lot last week, or because I felt like it was more important to get sleep when I was stressed than run, or that it was just too cold and rainy, but the reality is that I just didn't feel like it. I even had a day off on Friday and I still didn't run...and then I tried to tell myself that since I cleaned like a maniac all day that that had to count for some kind of physical activity.

So, last night I FORCED myself to run...EVEN THOUGH it was still cold and rainy (and windy). It was rough for sure, it always is after you take a week off. But luckily Bill was battling it out with me. And I do always like running in Central Park. This is probably because I spend so much of my life there, running. This winter has seemed especially long, which I'm going to say has a lot to do with my not wanting to run. I realized this when I told Bill last night "Hey! Maybe on Wednesday I can wear shorts on our run!" It is supposed to be sunny and in the 60s from Wednesday onward, so I'm hoping that will help.

And what do you know? After being exhausted from our little run last night, I slept like a rock!..which is something I can't say that I've done for awhile. I guess that's reason enough to keep it up.

Coogan's Salsa and Blues Festival 5k

This weekend I ran twice (I haven't done that in a loooooong time). Saturday morning I added on mileage all the way up to 6 :) I can't say that the run went very well. There was a lot of stopping and walking and starting again. I started out at a 7:51 pace and ended with an average 10:18 pace...so you can kind of see what I mean. :(

I guess, this was kind of good though, because it set up my expectations for my first race of the year. I knew not to take it out too fast, at least.

Sunday was also fun because all of my friends were running this race as well...AND it was my birthday! I think all in all there were 10 of us, and for 2 of them it was their race debut! We all basically ran in pairs, which was helpful because everyone had some moral support. I was so glad that Bill ran with me, because that way I didn't beat myself up for my newly-found slower pace.

Here is a (long)video of the race. I actually found myself in the crowd at 1:45. (I'm probably like the only one in a tank top.)

I decided to shoot for 9:30s for each mile...especially since I had heard the course was hilly.

And it WAS hilly...but it was okay too, because it was a beautiful course, and a beautiful, warm day (like the first real day of spring!) and about every 200 feet there was a band playing. I told Bill that if they had that much entertainment during a marathon, that would be the best marathon ever. But that would also mean there had to be like 400 bands. (Actually, I just checked it out and it would be 691 bands).

Our first mile was a 9:22, which made me happy. I felt pretty good, but knew I couldn't push it a ton more. I was really happy that I stayed on pace and didn't push it too much.

Since I did feel so good, I picked it up a smidge (but only as much as I felt comfortable). I definitely felt like I was pushing, but not over-the-top. I did feel a lot slower on the hills. The next mile was a 9:10.

The third mile I felt like I had more energy and could really pick up my stride a bit. I was pushing, but I could still talk to Bill fairly easily. Luckily, he was encouraging me the whole way up the hill. I was watching my heartrate rise rise rise on the monitor as I went up, and go down down down as I went down the hill. That last mile was an 8:15!!! And with all the energy I had left, I really kicked it in for the finish.

I felt GREAT! (It was also funny to see my HR at the end of the race at 173, plunge back down to 89 in a matter of seconds). I was very happy with myself because I knew I did the absolute best I could. My finishing time was 28:10.

It was also really fun to run a race and not worry so much about the time. I think last year I would have beat myself up if I got anything more than an 8:00 pace. Especially since 8:03 was my best 10k pace from last year and I was hitting 7:30s-7:40s in practices for 4-5 miles. But really, this was so much more fun and relaxing. I was happy with myself for setting a reasonable goal and attaining it.

I was also very proud of my non-running friends. The both finished a tough course with lots of hills in their first event ever!

I would have to say that it was a great birthday run!

Upping the Mileage

It is so weird how your perspective changes once you've been running less mileage. I had my "big" 4 mile run this weekend and I was a little nervous about it. Nervous is not the right word, but maybe just anxious about keeping a pace I was happy with for the full 4 miles.

I also decided to shake it up a little by changing my route, and doing part of the middle loop in Central Park. I knew this would end up with me walking a fair amount home (because I would end up running about 5+ miles if I ran the whole way) but I was all right with that because it was PERFECT running weather (high 30s and sunny) and I could use the walk as a nice cool down. My new course included Cat Hill (yuck!) and all of the little rolling hills on the west side (ugh). But I tackled them with aplomb!

I also noticed something a little strange...

Riding alongside me were 6 black sedans. This is weird because there is no traffic allowed in the park on Saturday morning. Must be someone important. All of the license plates were either from DC or Maryland. Hmmmm. AND there were helicopters overhead. A girl next to me started chatting with me and we were trying to figure out who it was...Obama? Wasn't he visiting the Dalai Lama though? Not sure. We speculated all the way up to 102nd street, where I pulled ahead of her. I hit my 3 mile mark and realized it was 30 seconds faster than my previous 2 miles. Score! I guess I do better when I am distracted while running.

The last mile seemed kind of long, especially with all of those little hills, but before I knew it my Garmin was beeping away telling me I was at mile 4. Hurrah!

(Btw, I asked Bill about the whole political caravan thing, since I knew he used to drive in them all the time in Cincy. He said it sounded like someone big. His first thought was Obama too, but then with the additional information that they were having the Run for Haiti that morning, he thought a more likely guess was Bill Clinton...especially since he lives kind of sort of near there.)

Running Ups and Downs

A bad run can totally ruin your entire day. Really.

Saturday I had my "long" run of 3 miles...no different than the past few weeks...same course even. The hills got to me again though and I was all panty (hahaha, that looks weird typed out...I meant that I was panting). It was not fun, and I actually had to WALK for a few seconds at around mile 2. Yuck. Needless to say, this put me in a sour mood. I started in a downward spiral mentally too, telling myself 'You haven't even started training Harlem Hill yet, these are the easy hills.' and 'You know, you do have a 3 mile race in a couple of weeks, you shouldn't be walking then.' And then I started blaming things I can't control. 'Stupid snow. If it hadn't snowed last week you would have gotten out more and this run wouldn't be so hard.' and 'Stupid dental surgery. Screwed up my whole winter training plan by making me all tired and not able to train 3 days.' And then I started questioning myself 'Sure, I didn't get out to run very much this week because of the snow, but I did pilates and weight training every night!' But it all comes down to this: you can't have great running days all the time. I know this. Sometimes I think I need to remind myself of this.

Monday, however, running was once again redeemed as I had a fairly successful and quick 2 mile run in Riverside. I actually felt light on my feet and everything. Sometimes all you need is a good run to erase those bad ones!

Second Long Run in Central Park

This weekend was absolutely crazy (as was this week) and I didn't get as much running in as I had hoped due to my second round of dental surgery. Yuck.

So I made sure that on Saturday I went for my run in Central Park, even though I didn't really want to. Luckily (for running) we had not gotten any of those crazy snowstorms that were predicted, so the paths were clear and I had a pretty enjoyable run. I even pushed myself to run up the Strawberry Fields hill at the end, because it is steep and because I knew it was good for me.

For some reason though, I can't seem to keep a consistent pace. It's the same deal as always...I do the exact opposite of a negative split. This one was very crazily un-negative, and I think it's because I was running by myself.

My first mile was 7:50, and I felt super good. It was mostly flat though. I knew the hills would kill me in the next two miles and I would have to slow down.

My second mile was 9:06 and my third was 9:12.

Hmmmm. Definitely have to work on more even pacing!

Central Park Welcomes Me Back

This weekend I decided to be a little cheerleader and encourage my non-running friends to train with me in Central Park (we have a 5k coming up soon). I promised we would take it nice and easy and max out our mileage at 2 miles. Afterwards I said we should go to brunch. I also made the run at 10am because I knew people would want to sleep in a little and I made it at 72nd Street because one of my non-running friends would only have to commute half a block for said run. Guess how many takers I had? That's right. None.
(To be fair, one of the girls lives in Brooklyn...so that would have been quite a trek for a little run.)

Considering that I pretty much HATE winter and HATE running (still) this was NOT motivating to me. :(

Luckily, Bill was willing to humor me, and we set off on one of the chilliest mornings of the year (16 degrees) to tackle the lower loop. As Bill very aptly put it, he has a love/hate relationship with Central Park. It is very very beautiful (even in the cold and winter) but it is also very difficult to run because of the hills. The hills are sneaky too. They don't look like hills, but you can sure feel them. By the time we had reached the east side I was panting a bit.

It's funny that Central Park would take that much more energy. I mean, we have been running Riverside Park every week. I guess it's those tricky hills. (I did remember about 3/4 of the way through the run that I absolutely hated the lower loop and used to do anything in the summer to get out of running it, including adding on mileage. Oh well. I guess it is good for me.)Bill and I decided that we needed to run Central Park at least once every week.

We also rewarded ourselves with brunch. Of course.