derailed by the cold

Despite what the title says, this is not a post about how the cold weather is interfering with my Boston training.

Actually, the first two weeks went pretty well, despite some cold snaps thrown in there…

The first week included sub-freezing temps the night of a V02max workout.  But I still showed up and got it done-yes, my times were slower than the summer and my lungs hated me afterwards, but I got through 4 x 800.

And last weekend brought another cold snap-though I planned for it strategically by doing my long run on Saturday-the warmer of the 2 days, not by much.  And of course I brilliantly planned my route along the West Side Hwy and the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges…perfect for a cold, windy day, right?  But actually it was fine, I was dressed for the conditions, my water bottle didn’t freeze, the music on my iPod kept me going through 15 and a half miles.  I bundled up even more on Sunday to knock out a short run-and witnessed some girl running in Central Park wearing a sweatshirt and shorts (not even running shorts, more like boxer-type shorts) and her legs were bright red…SMH…

I think this weather not making up its mind caught up with me this week, as the week got off to a decent start with an easy run Monday and a speed workout Tuesday but the latter half of it, a nasty cold knocked me down.  Meaning sick day from work on Thursday, no running since Tuesday.  Yeah, maybe one could argue i could have run through it, but I wanted to kick this thing out sooner rather than later…

Then I was signed up for today’s Manhattan Half-Marathon.  Not to race (I’m saving that effort for the NYC Half!) but to just use as a supported training run.  And wouldn’t you know it, the 2nd snow of the season (or really officially 1st?  As the previous snowstorm was in the fall?) once again messes with a NYRR race.  I did pick up my bib and shirt just in case yesterday-and boy were the NYRR offices mobbed!  And they ran out of small shirts right before I got mine!  (But honestly, I didn’t love it enough for the size to make a difference.)

Very early this morning (around 5 AM), NYRR did make the call to turn the half into an uncompetitive, unscored “fun run.”  I made the call to go back to sleep.  It was still snowing, I had a feeling Central Park wasn’t plowed yet, and it really was not worth jeopardizing my “A” race for a mid-January training run.  One more day of rest, and I can get my long run done and done tomorrow.

So week 3 of training will be a cutback week, not by choice.  Hopefully with 12 weeks to go, this won’t hurt me…too much?

 

2012 running goals, or something like that

So as I said in my 2011 year-in-review post, I’d address 2012 later.  Well, it’s later

So here’s what I got on the horizon so far this year…

• Boston Marathon (4/16/12)  Obviously this is the biggie as of now.  Time goals?  I don’t know as of now.  At the very least, I want to finish-yes, I want the jacket   I do want to enjoy the experience-and not be in misery for the  last 10K like I was in NYCM.  Ideally, I would run a respectable time, as I am in the need for marathon redemption   I do have to take into consideration that my training will be 3 weeks shorter, therefore a PR may not be realistic.  But if everything were to go right?  Obviously I would like to requalify…but would shoot for sub-3:40.  None of this 3:35 nonsense, that’s crazy talk!  I should have known better, the B.A.A. gives us upper submasters the extra 5 minutes for a reason.  I guess I’ll re-assess goals as we get closer to Patriots’ Day!
• NYC Half-Marathon (3/18/12)  After being a lottery loser last year, they actually let me in this year!  Yes I know what the price tag is, and it would cost just as much, if not more, to travel to a half.  For me, I felt it was worth it for several reasons.  It’s perfectly timed as a Boston tune-up.  Last time I ran it was the inaugural race in 2006, and I was not happy with my race at all.  I’d love to get redemption from that one!  This is also the last chance to run a NYCMQ half time under the “old” standards-1:37 or faster (not sure if I’d run NYC or not, but it’d be nice to get the qualifier just once.)  Not sure if I’ll be quite there just yet, but who knows what can happen in 2 months?  (or maybe I can run 1:37:51 to beat my 2006 time by 10 minutes…hehe.)  Finally, the course is changed a little bit, and I’m liking it!!  Start in the lower part of the park, counterclockwise loop in the park (if we have to do the full 6 thats the direction I prefer,) one less mile in the park, finish now near the Seaport.  Should be fun!!  (and will be amusing to see the St. Patrick’s Day drunks leaving the bars around the same time that I’m heading for the start.)
  

  the new course!

So those are the only 2 races definitely on the schedule as of now.  What else would I like to see happen this year?

• A 10K PR.  It should not be that my 10K splits in both Philly halfs I’ve raced (46:29 in 2009, 46:38 in 2011) are faster than my actual 10K PR (47:06, set in 2008.)  Maybe try for one in the Mini 10K in June?  The thing is that one is hit or miss in terms of weather. 
• Sub-7 minute pace short race?  (e.g., 3-miler, 5K, maybe 4-miler?)  I’d have to get back into the shape I was in last summer…then find a flat course in good weather.  Maybe sometime in the fall?

As for the fall-have no clue what I will be doing, race-wise.  Let’s see how the spring plays out…

 

something old, something new

Happy 2012, blog readers!!   Yes I know I’m slacking in blogging again.  Blame the post-holidays craziness at work…

So New Year’s 2011/2012 weekend came and went.  The theme for those few days is represented well by the title…seeing old friends, as well as new(er) as well.  The “old”?  Well not by age, but a Flyer friend who moved far north in 2010 (wow, I can’t say “last year” anymore) came to visit for a few days, and we caught up over a few beers at Ginger Man and a short Central Park run the following day.

Then Saturday, New Year’s Eve Day, brought a run to the Doughnut Plant.  (Much better writeup on Susan’s blog, here you’re getting the abbreviated version ) Over the Brooklyn Bridge, back over the Williamsburg…can you guess who coordinated this run, just from hearing a rough version of the route?   Anyway, it was a nice, chill run-good to see some I hadn’t seen in a long time, and meet new runners/bloggers!  And how great was it that it was shorts weather on December 31st?  Anyway, the Doughnut Plant is definitely as good as advertised-I was all over getting a gingerbread donut!!  And of course I had to have another, so I got another gingerbread and an oatmeal donut…oatmeal is healthy, right?

betcha can't spot me

So then I headed back home to midtown and snapped this pic from 44th and 8th…

you'd never guess that one block east lies total insanity.

 Then I got ready to escape midtown for the evening.  Unfortunately, previous plans for an old friend to spend New Year’s here got canceled at the last minute, thankfully I did have backup plans!  My speedwork buddy EA volunteered to let me escape to her place on the UES since we were both doing the Midnight Run.  Pizza, champagne, gossip, no drama-exactly what I needed.  (well unless you count our other friend who came over for a little bit after overdulging on pomegranate martinis.)  So we got to the park and just like the previous year, a pretty warm night-I actually felt a little overdressed with capris under my Team Sparkle skirt.  (guess I shoulda gone with booty shorts instead)?  Yep, my “costume” for the night was a “sparkly heartbreaker”-with sparkly skirt, sparkly headband and my “Heartbreakah” shirt I got in Boston last year.

So with about 15 minutes to go, tons of peeps were already lined up, but EA, ever the competitive chick, wanted to run fast which meant getting as far up as possible-we found a way to get up pretty close-could actually see the clock counting down   And before I knew it, was midnight and we were off and running…literally.

Yep, I actually felt decent enough to make this a semi-tempo effort (might as well, considering I missed both workouts the previous week )  And let the record show there was no champagne consumed during those 31 and change minutes   It was just a nice night, people were out cheering, and my legs just wanted to go.  And this was over 10 minutes faster than last year!  granted, this is not a “race” effort, but I just remember it feeling like a struggle last year, and it was nice to get 2012 off to a good start on the running front.

that ain't water in my bottle.

So then EA and I hung around a little but after the race, scoped out the festivities, finished the champagne in our respective water bottles…and then I headed back home to Ball Drop Central.

around 1:45 am on 1/1/12. still barricades and detours around times square!

So, one week into the New Year.  There’s already new shoes, new goals…and this week was the first real week of my Boston Marathon training!  I’ll be doing 15 weeks instead of 18 weeks as I’ve done in the past, to give myself a little more recovery after NYCM and to prevent burnout.  We’ll see how that plays out!

running year 2011: a tale of two halves

Well it being New Year’s Eve, it’s of course time for the obligatory “running year in review” post.  And when I say that 2011 was truly a tale of 2 halves, I don’t mean half-marathons, as much as halves of the year…

First half of 2011 was kinda lackluster.  I don’t know if it was the brutal winter, or burnout after the 2010 Chicago marathon, or indifference in general…but not a lot of running was happening the first coupla months of the year.  Or maybe some of it was feeling “in limbo.”  Couldn’t make any race plans til I knew what was going on with the Boston qualifying standards (I need plans to keep me focused!), I was the midst of exploring other groups to do speedwork with (there’s something about having groups like that to keep you honest!)  My slowest 5K in years, in addition to just barely getting under 8-minute pace for one 3.3 mile loop of Prospect Park in the Cherry Tree Relay…yeah, kinda the low points, showed how far I slid down.

Took the steps in March to hopefully get my groove back, thanks to twice-weekly speedwork sessions with WBTC (which other Flyer teammates were already a part of) and Coach T (who was a big part in my running successes this year), including the very fun-yet-crowded track nights.  Getting the speed back was definitely a slow process, but it looked like by June something was kicking in, as I ran my 2nd fastest 10K at the Mini 10K-after indulging in some Blue Moons with coworkers the night before

By the 2nd half of the year, when training for the NYC Marathon would start, looked like not only was I where I was in 2009-2010, but surpassed it, which kinda validated my current training choice   Hit 4-mile and 5-mile PRs, 2 strong half marathons while in the thick of training…unfortunately the marathon did not go my way but still finished 2011 on a good note with an age group award in a 5K (and I have not gotten an AG award since 2004!) and a 15K PR.

So thankfully the year ended on a better note than the last 2   If I had to grade the year, I’d probably give it a B…maybe B+, as I “failed” my “final exam” I don’t deserve an A

That said, at least one thing I learned from how badly the marathon went was that I’m not a quitter…even though the going got rough, I did what I had to do to still salvage a sub-4.  So I can put that worry to rest…

I’ll address 2012 in another post…but as of now the big ones are a certain marathon in April, and then I just found out this week that I got into the NYC Half!  (yes I’m aware how much it cost, I don’t want to hear it.)  Training through the winter will be a challenge in itself, but I think I’m ready to hit the ground running in 2012…literally!

Happy New Year everyone…

the 2011 season finale: ted corbitt 15k

So as you know, even though the marathon didn’t go my way, I was still determined to end 2011 on a good note, race-wise…obviously running another marathon would not be realistic, but I could tear it up in some shorter races.  One that really caught my eye as being the perfect end to the season, was the Ted Corbitt 15K.  Yeah, a 15K in Central Park, nothing special right?  That said, my 15K PR was way, way overdue for a falling.  Of course, that may have been due to the fact that I only ran the race distance twice in my race lifetime.  First time was back in 2006 and was my standing PR of 1:17:39, and the 2nd time in 2007 was more of a glorified training run.  Plus considering I’ve run faster 15K splits in marathons, and I’ve run half-marathons at a faster pace…yeah, I think you know where I was going with this one

Based on my recent short races, looked like a 7:45 pace, or around 1:12, should be doable.  There were others who were encouraging me to go for 7:30′s…and oh it would have been sweet to break 1:10…but I knew this wouldn’t be the day for it.  (Did I also mention that my longest run since the marathon was only 9 miles?)

So another nicely chilly morning.  Singlet, black long-sleeve…and after flip-flopping between shorts and capris, decided to go with capris.  (Combo worked pretty well, though I think I may have been better off with short-sleeve and arm warmers.  Lessons learned!)  No subway issues heading uptown, actually got off a stop or 2 early to jog to warm up and jog to baggage.  I headed to the red corral, hung with Flyers AG, JJ, EG and SC while waiting for the start.  AG was “stretching” me out, while JJ and I reminisced about RnR Philly when that was the last time we were in the same start corral, and I said I totally expected him to be ahead of me again.  And so the last “9th race” of the year began…

First loop:
Mile 1-7:55
Mile 2-7:28
Mile 3-7:53
Mile 4-7:39

So given that I really don’t race this distance (even a 10-miler, which is pretty close in terms of distance is a pretty scarce race…last time I raced that distance was early 2009) I was a little unsure how to pace it-is this a long 10K or a short half?  But I decided to employ the same strategy I do for halfs…pace most, race last 5K.  And in this case (as there was no 10K marker) the plan would be to pace the first 6 miles, pick it up a little for 7, race the last 2.3.  So if that meant letting people go in the beginning, so be it.  EG and I ran a good part of the 1st mile together but she pulled ahead and I let her go.  First mile was a little slow, but understandable given the hills, and sure enough I made up for it on the downhill mile 2.  Cat Hill did a little damage on mile 3 but again, made up for it with another net downhill mile…so I was at 30:55 through 4 miles and as far as I was concerned, I was executing the plan perfectly

2nd loop:
Mile 5-8:04
Mile 6-7:37
Mile 7-7:39
Mile 8-7:45
Mile 9-7:23
Mile 9.3-2:16 (7:04 pace)

The 2nd trip through the West Side Hills was tougher than the first, as this saw what would be my only mile over 8 minutes.  The downhill mile 6 was faster, but not as much as I would like…so time to put the plan into action and kick it up a little bit for the 7th mile.  And it helped I had some rabbits to pace off of in these last coupla miles to keep me strong…my friend JW from Urban Athletics and our own running seal (both would wind up having PR’s and great races too!)  Of course, mile 8, my first “racing” mile would include Cat Hill, but I think I held up pretty well, and was still passing people (and the cheers from Flyers NS and PD helped greatly!  In fact, the cheering support was pretty good during this race…)  Cat Hill done and 1.3 miles to go.  Run hard to Engineer’s Gate, then even harder to the end.  I wasn’t sure if I was still averaging 7:45′s at that point, but I knew I was on track for a BIG PR, so let’s see how big it can get.  (That’s what she said.)

Just past the 9-mile marker, I caught up to and passed EG, saying a breathless “stay with me, you got this”…but I know if I was able to finish around her, then I was definitely having a good day.  Not knowing how long that last .32056788 mile should take me, I tried to keep those 600-meter repeats I had done the previous week in mind and just imagine it was one of those…preferably the last one when I leave it all out there!   Made the turn onto 102nd to the finish, heard the announcer calling my name…and crossed the finish in 1:11:40, 7:42 pace.  A 5:59 PR…damn, had I known it was so close, could I have gotten another second to make it a PR of 6 minutes even?   Flyer women finished 3rd and I was the 4th Flyer female…so another bronze team medal for the collection (though to quote Kara Goucher after the NYC Half “I’m tired of third…I’m ready to win one!”  just kidding.  I’m happy to get any placing we can get! )

So unlike 2010, this season finale was a success instead of being anticlimactic.  And considering my mileage wasn’t really high after NYC, I think this was a pretty good performance to bang out…which as long as I stay uninjured, I think bodes very well for the spring, and other seasons to come…?

overdue race report #2-join the voices 5-miler

Back with another overdue race report!!  (Oh yeah, hope everyone enjoyed their holidays.)

So the Join the Voices 5-miler was the 2nd race in my hopeful year-ending trifecta.  In addition, this was the last team points race of the year.  But not the same as in previous years, you see usually the Joe Kleinerman 10K would be the last points race of the year.  But that was switched with the Fred Lebow 5-miler which was usually held in January.  Little sad about the break from tradition…and additionally, I would have preferred to race a 10K than a 5-miler (my 10K PR is in definite need of updating.)  But it was what it was and maybe for all I know, this would have been better (no Harlem Hill throwing a wrench in things.)

So was a nicely cool morning, shorts, singlet, arm warmers and CEPs were the order of the day.  Warmed up by running to the park (gotta love race starts in the south end of the park) and quickly dropped off my bag and headed to the start, running into (well not literally) Lam and other teammates on the way.  Listened to the usuall announcements…blah blah blah.  Though did anyone notice that they goofed and said this was a double points race?

Anyway, in a nutshell, this was my race-sorta uneventful as far as races go.

Mile	Split	Comments
1	7:21	Around the bottom of the park…good first mile, but did I go out too fast?
2	7:41	Up Cat Hill…ugh definitely need to work on hills-this was weak compared to my summer races.
3	7:24	Engineer’s Gate to 102nd…and was hoping this would have been faster.
4	7:44	West Side Hills…slow but definitely could have been worse.
5	7:07	Downhills, flats, then the turn onto 72nd to the finish.  Tried to give it all I got!

Final time was 37:17, 7:27 pace.  Definitely way off where I was in the summer, but for less than a month after the marathon and minimal speedwork/mileage, I’ll take it.  Especially since again, still ahead of where I was at this time last year (when I couldn’t even break 50 for 10K.)

And can never complain about getting my pic in the NYRR local gallery once again…

Though gotta love that they made my race time 5 minutes faster…hehe.

So, that was this one.  The report like the race…short and sweet.

overdue race report #1: dick meighan 5k

Finally gonna get started on these way, way overdue race reports!

So even though I’ve been a serious runner/racer since 2004, I had only run one turkey trot (aka race on Thanksgiving morning) once, in 2004.  I ran a 5-miler on Long Island with my uncle and 2 cousins.  Sadly there will never be another race I’ll run again with my uncle   Unfortunately, I don’t remember too much about the race that year except it was very hilly.  I wish I could remember more.

me, uncle and cousin after race with our finisher medals

And for whatever reason every year after, I hadn’t raced on Turkey Day…most of the time I preferred to get my own Central Park done in the AM and then train it to wherever I’m going, or sleep in

But this time around, I was sorta itching to race.  And I had heard that the Dick Meighan 5K, which was around 15-20 minutes away from my parents in NJ, was a good-albeit hilly-race.  And oh yeah, based on previous race results there was a good chance I’d place in my AG.  Wasn’t expecting a PR, given I was only 2 1/2 weeks out from NYC and that it would be hilly.

How hilly?

So the nite before I stayed over at the parentals, then awoke to a nice and chilly morning, and drove over to where the race was…taking note of where certain uphills/downhills would be.  Got my bib and a nice tech shirt, and then went to warm up on the first mile of the course…which was good as you can see, I would know not to “blow my load” in the first half-mile so to say   Finished my warmup, did some strides, took care of business and went over to the start.  Looked like it was gonna be another free-for-all, so I positioned myself a few rows back from the front and just waited for the starting horn.

the start

And knowing that the first half-mile contained a big-ass hill, I let people pass me, ran hard but did hold back just a little bit.  The downhill at the half-mile point was very welcome, but in a way felt like after the big hill at mile 8 of the Staten Island half…like I needed 100-200 meters to recover and of course in a short race like a 5K, you don’t have that   But was pleased with my first mile-7:24.  I then made the time goal of the day to get under 23 minutes…

…which I could get as long as I avoid my usual mile 2 collapse in 5K’s.  Mile 2 was rolling hills, but nothing really horrible.  And as this was 7:23, I was able to hold on.  This was less of a net uphill mile than the previous, so maybe effort-wise was a little slower, but I don’t think by much.  And I had enough in the tank to pick up the pace for the last 1.1 and pass people in the process.  However, in my drive over, I did note one more big hill that would be in the last mile and sure enough with about .5-.6 miles to go, there it was.  I just killed it best I could, knowing I didn’t have long to go.  One more turn…and more climbing…however thankfully the last .1 was downhill into the school’s parking lot, then flat to the finish.  I was neck and neck with this other woman, but she outkicked me to the finish…arrrgh!!  Last 1.1 in 7:52 (7:09 pace.)

chick in black next to me had just outkicked me to the line. damn.

 Wound up with 22:39, 7:18 pace…which given the terrain and still recovering from NYC (and minimal speedwork!), I was definitely happy with.  I mean, I outperformed a flat 5K I did 3 weeks after Chicago last year  

So I didn’t know yet how I did in terms of placing, so I went for a cooldown and then went back to the school’s gym (where the refreshments/awards were), grabbed some hot cider and checked out the results.  FOURTH in my AG.  Arrgh.  Missed by half a second-to the chick who just outkicked me at the finish!  And the kicker is that if I were still 34, I would have placed!  It is what it is, I guess.  And actually, I most likely would not have been able to stay for the awards anyway, they started with the older age groups and it would have taken a while to get down to mine, and I had to leave fairly early as my parents wanted to get an early start on our trek to Long Island for Thanksgiving festivities and beat the traffic.  Before I left, I saw and chatted with Ari briefly-he was there with his daughter for her first 5K, which they both enjoyed a lot.  (And I love how she noticed the Yankee charm on my shoe and said “Daddy, look she’s a Yankee fan too!” )

So I went home, got cleaned up, headed to LI with la familia, ate and drank more than enough to counteract the morning’s run, and checked the final results online…and I was bumped up to THIRD in my AG.  Whoa.  Apparently the chick who was originally 1st in the 35-39 AG was now 10 years younger, moving us all up a spot.  Was definitely happy about that!!  Though actually claiming my trophy…well it’s taken more work than the race itself!!  First my trophy was actually in the hands of the 1st place woman.  Then when she returned the trophy it was actually the 2nd place one she had, and the one ahead of me had the 3rd place one had no info for anyone to get in touch with her.  So all in all, I will have to accept the 2nd place trophy (which my dad did on my behalf, and I’ll finally get it in my hands next weekend!) and Sharpie it up to show how the real chips fell.  And if 2nd place chick finally decides she wants it back, well that’ll show her to outkick me next time

And next year?  I’ll just have to come back and win my AG outright

not gone, just occupied

maybe not this kind of “occupied”…

But the last few weeks have been a busy few all the same.  Crazy at work (still been getting the running in though!) and well, haven’t had much time to put together a quality blog post.  (I don’t know how you peeps who blog every day do it!)  And it’s not that I have nothing to say, actually I do have quite a bit to write about, including but not limited to…

• 2 belated race reports (one including an AG award!)
• a Sparkly Soul headband review!
• other holiday odds and ends

Hope to catch up over the next few days!  In the meantime, hope you all are having a great holiday season!

NYCM 2011: the good, the not-so-good, the ugly

Well I guess this will be the official New York City Marathon report.  Figure after a week or so of thinking things over, I might as well have stuff in writing, so maybe I won’t make the same mistakes again…

So I will start this off by the numbers:

Mile	Split Time	Mile	Split Time
1	8:47.24	15	8:43.63
2	7:30.04	16	8:31.88
3	8:14.00	17	8:27.13
4	8:15.08	18	8:25.93
5	7:57.00	19	8:42.48
6	8:03.23	20	9:08.05
7	8:07.63	21	10:37.85
8	8:23.78	22	9:43.07
9	8:18.85	23	10:11.45
10	7:58.28	24	10:25.60
11	8:25.70	25	15:25.37
12	8:13.28	26	10:01.75
13	8:21.43	26.2	2:02.81
14	8:28.04	Summary	3:55:30.58

And now, the words behind the numbers.

So again, even though daylight savings time gifted us with an extra hour of sleep, I still found myself awake way before my alarm.  Again, fine with me, more time to do the race day routine and not feel rushed.  Eat, have coffee, listen to music, stretch, get dressed, make sure I don’t forget anything.  And begin the 3-leg journey to get to Staten Island early enough to prevent any MTA or SI Ferry fails.  And within minutes of me getting to the Times Square station, there was a 1 train, which got to South Ferry with no problems.  Leg 1 complete.  Even though I was supposed to be on the 6:15 ferry and I knew I was a little early, I heard announcements that those of us who wanted to get on an earlier ferry could.  So why not.  Turned out to be the 5:45 ferry!  whoa.  Again, just listened to music and zoned out for this 2nd leg of the trip (except when someone pointed out the sunrise to me.)   Then onto leg 3-shuttle bus to Fort Wadsworth.  Then once there, walking into the Fort while showing our bibs to the security peeps, lest we get thrown out…

So inside, past security, in search of the Local Competitive area.  Actually not as tough to find as I thought it was, thanks to the nifty map NYRR gave us-just had to cross a little grassy area in the “open zone.”  And according to a couple of my friends, I actually got caught on camera by the news reporting live from Fort Wadsworth!  I apparently didn’t look like I knew I was on camera…annnnnd I was wearing my glamorous “throwaway” outfit.  Classy.

Anyway, I got past “security” and found a place in the local competitive area to just chill out.  I was the first Flyer there, but I was shortly joined by my teammate JD and one of my speedwork buddies, KL, where we all just chatted and chilled out til it was time to check our bags.  By then, the “Snuggie Posse” of AK, NPT and JS was there (their throwaway gear was Snuggies!) as well as other Flyers…Lam, DC, CM, EF, SJ and more!  To be honest-hanging with these people was the best thing about being in the LCS.  The food/drink/coffee offered was the same as it would have been elsewhere, the lines for the bathrooms eventually did get long, but having my friends and training partners around was actually a calming influence  (unfortunately it seemed like no one else would have really been in wave 2 if I wound up having to stay there.)  And I didn’t feel intimidated at all..I was owning it (my low bib #), I knew I belonged there.

So at around 8:50, we were given the green light to head out onto the bridge.  I could see the green start runners in their corrals, waiting to be unleashed…they were after we made our way onto the bridge and some of the people with 3xxx and 5xxx bibs got mixed in with us…which personally I was OK with.  I knew I still had a decent starting position (I could actually see the start line from where I was) and my intention was to line up at the back of the corral anyway.  I got separated from KL and the Snuggie Posse, but I found myself lined up with DC, DK, ML and MH (who scored points in my book for wearing Yankee temporary tattoos, in addition to running another great race!)  And again, they were good people to have around me while waiting for the start, especially DC who was taking pictures and giving me “run happy” (a la Brooks) vibes   We heard the introduction of the pro men and knew it wasn’t much longer.  The National Anthem.  Mary Wittenberg’s annual speech (“New York City awaits you…”)  The cannon.  New York, New York.  It was time.

Staten Island/Verrazano Bridge/first 5k

So the focus here-staying in control.  If others pass me on the bridge…let them go.  Tried to block everyone else out.  And as it turned out, the first 2 miles wound up averaging right on pace, so mission accomplished.  And actually, I didn’t mind being on the lower level of the bridge at all!  (And please let me be known..the supposed “golden showers”?  Total urban legend.)  However, the part of the green course I really didn’t like?  The part between the bridge and when we joined up with everyone else on 4th Ave…seemed like that part was lacking in crowd support, unlike that part of the orange and blue starts.

Brooklyn!

4th Ave and time to lock in.  Once again, I loved the support and cheering crowds here…sorry Manhattan, but I think this may have replaced you as my favorite borough in the race!   I was just along for the ride, having fun…and I guess some of my splits may have shown I was having a little too much fun?  But this part of the course felt sorta flat/downhill so that may be why.

By then, was still cool but very sunny and I kinda regretted keeping my arm warmers on.  I took my first gel right on schedule at the 10K point, but found myself having more water than Gatorade along the way…seemed more “refreshing.”

So then the mile 8 merge happened and slowed us up a little bit.  So much for the wave starts eliminating that congestion (thank you, “honor system”!)…anyways, just cruised along Lafayette Ave in Fort Greene.  Unlike previous years, I was actually looking forward to the Williamsburg portion of the course.  Why?  In a way, it sorta felt like “home” for me.  First was seeing Coach T cheering along with EK and KS in mile 10.  I realized that in previous marathons, the coach had never been out there on race day…so in a way, this meant a lot.  Afterwards, Coach T told me that I “looked like I was cruising…that I so had it, was right on pace.”  At the time, definitely true!  Then northern Williamsburg and Bedford Avenue, especially the part through McCarren Park was a “homecoming” of sorts…how many times have I walked along that street from the L train to the track?  Definitely familiar territory.  Turned onto the usually festive Manhattan Ave (oh the irony…Manhattan in Brooklyn…hehe)…a right turn, then a left on McGuinness…just like in the 3 bridges run.  And here was the Pulaski Bridge and the halfway point-1:47:34.  Hmmm a little slow for sub-3:35, but maybe I can run a more even 2nd half than in the past?  But at least you can’t say I went out too fast

Queens

Not to knock all you Queens bees (hey, I was born in Queens!) but in the past, Queens just felt like a “filler” borough…not really eventful (well except for the idiot knocking me down in 2006)  And I guess it was the same this time around.  I remembered seeing Celia somewhere in mile 14 waiting for her friend to run with but that was about it.  And as a matter of fact, I did start to feel a little bit of a fade.  I told myself to try and keep it together, knock out the bridge, Manhattan will make it all better.  So yeah, the bridge was actually a little bit of relief for me, knowing that once this was done, the worst would be behind me.  I knew I would lose some time on the incline, just wanted for once to get that mile under 9 minutes (which I did.)  Our Denver-ite Flyer TB passed me on the uphill…I knew his “taking it easy” would eventually catch up to my racing this thing (though he claimed otherwise beforehand…think there may have been beers at the after-party riding on it?)  Anyway, unlike the 3 Bridges run, the incline on the Queensboro didn’t feel like it increased in length and tried to pick it up on the downhill, but tried to be careful to not trash my quads in the process…still 10 miles to go!!

First Avenue

Always the part I look forward to most…but today it didn’t seem the same.  Compared to 4th Ave in Brooklyn, the crowds here seemed kind of…subdued?  I dunno.  I couldn’t seem to pick up my pace…looks like 3:35 may be out, but keep it around 8:30s and I can still get a sub-3:40 BQ.  8:30s…I can do that.  And I was able to for a coupla miles.  Oh was it great to see the Flyers at the PowerGel station at mile 18.  And my parents around 103rd with their signs (one sign said “Next stop…Boston!”, the other one along with the lettering had paw prints on it for my dog brother…that made me smile at least ) 

But after that, upper 1st Ave had more fading…not sure what was going on.  On top of that, my stomach was bugging me a little.  I had taken all my gels on schedule, and these were gels I have used many, many times in training (tangerine PowerGel) that I knew it shouldn’t give me any issues so needless to say it was a little puzzling.  I saw LG right before the Willis Ave Bridge, he had a bottle of water for me which was much needed.  “Keep it up.  You look strong,” he said to me.  Oh if only you knew how I was really feeling…looks are deceiving…

The Bronx

And as always, PD was making his appearance in a kilt and bagpipes on the Willis Avenue Bridge.  That was the bright spot of this borough for me.  (and I didn’t even spot Yankee Stadium this time…damn.)

During Mile 21, I had to do the unthinkable and make a port-a-potty stop.  I’ve never had to do this in a marathon before, but I just hoped that taking care of “business” then and there would just help me gut out the last 5 or so miles.  Well losing a minute or so in that mile lost the BQ for me…down but not out.  Maybe if I can pull it together I can still PR.  I force-fed myself my last gel-just to hopefully give myself some energy-as we left the Bronx and hoped for the best…

Manhattan-5th Ave to the finish line

I had really lucked out in my first marathon.  If there was a wall, I never felt it.  But here today, in the marathon I was best trained for, I was experiencing the wall.  The gel I force-fed myself did absolutely nothing.  I was afraid to take anymore of the too-sweet Gatorade as I didn’t want it upsetting my stomach any more.  I just took water where I could and just kept moving forward.  NPT passed me around Marcus Garvey Park and said “come on, hang in there, you got this”…oh how I wish I could have stuck with her.  But it wasn’t happening.  So the “just PR” turned into “maybe get under 3:50?”  The 5th ave hill slayed me as always.  My parents were just past the mile 23 marker and as they said later, knew something wasn’t right because I wasn’t smiling like I usually would be at that point.  I just wanted to get to the park and finish this thing.

But I began to feel sick again after I entered the park.  I had to ask a couple of times where a porta-potty was, as I had to go AGAIN. :-\  As there was nothing, I was forced to make an emergency stop at the Boathouse, and thank god there was an empty stall.  But even after getting that done, it disrupted my rhythm, as I found it hard to start running again…I’d start up then slow to a walk.  And I was still feeling somewhat nauseous.  All the spectators yelling my name did nothing…and those yelling “almost there”…oh you know how I felt about that.  A mile and a half to the finish still felt like an eternity.

Anyway, with a million sets of goals out the window, I wanted to still salvage one-finish under 4 hours.  I looked at my watch and did some quick math, and made a deal with myself.  Run/walk it to 25, then run it in to the end.  Making the right turn onto Central Park South was a huge relief.  Even though the mile split was slow, the crowds did make it feel like it went by faster…and I heard a certain Katy Perry song that I really liked, but honestly I didn’t feel like a firework right then and there   The half-mile to go sign was in sight and that brought relief, that I was gonna make it under 4.  I saw Flyer CN around there…she had passed me while I was walking but she was struggling here too…we tried to get each other through this last bit and it helped me to see a friendly face.

Milke 26 came and went, and then there was the evil Tavern hill and then the finish line was in sight…but for the first time, I sorta felt numb while finishing this one.  I mean yeah, I had a smile on my face, arms up in celebration for the cameras, but this just seemed…anticlimactic.  Anyway, another one was in the books and thankfully kept up my perfect record of sub-4′s with a 3:55:30.

After the finish line

Got my medal…and I will admit, I love the quote that is on the back of the medal-a quote from Grete Waitz “In New York, everyone wins.”  I had seen that at the expo and that was part of what kept me going in the late, painful miles…I wanted that medal!!  Got the heat sheet, food and drink bag, finisher photo…I immediately tore into the Gatorade recovery beverage but I still felt awful.  Everything was cramping, I still felt nauseous…and I was just being told to keep moving.  I saw a med tent, with a sign saying “last med tent before 77th street exit” (which was where I had to go to get my bag.)  I was supposed to meet my parents and grab a bite with them but I knew I needed some kind of help…I was in bad shape.  So I hit the med tent-where I got the cramps in my legs and one of my shoulders massaged out.  They also gave me chicken soup, a salt packet, and some regular Gatorade (not the sickly-sweet stuff that was on the course)…I was definitely dehydrated and in need of electrolytes. 

Finally I was feeling well enough to get up and go (and according to the medics, had some color back…I looked pale and sick before they treated me.)  Unfortunately, by the time I got to my bag and was able to get in touch with the ‘rents, they had already left…kinda sucked but understandable considering I couldn’t get in touch and explain the delay.  So was just me, replenishing with a Shake Shack burger and fries and cleaning up to head out to the Flyers’ post-party at The Parlour.  (oh and while showering, I noticed a “don’t do anything new on race day” mistake.  The HRM that came with the new Mr. Garmin?  I hadn’t used it on a long enough run and it chafed the hell out of me.  Plus it was giving me wacky readings all day…max HR of 233?  I don’t think so!)

As for the post-party, was a good time.  Hey, misery loves company, right?   It did help seeing my teammates and friends…unlike the MCM disaster where I had to drown my sorrows by myself afterwards!  Anyway, the emotions amongst my teammates about their races were varied…happiness, disappointment, indifference, acceptance, looking to get revenge in the next race…just to name a few.  But nothing Blue Moons can’t fix I guess

As for my race?  I think the word that sums it up is “inconclusive.”  Meaning I’m not sure what was the cause-or causes-of it going wrong.  Maybe the 3:35 goal was too ambitious, should have just gone for 3:40?  (As I did not go out too fast for a 3:35 goal.)  Something nutrition-related?  Was the Gatorade on the course mixed in a way that was making me feel sick?  And I had been feeling a hint of a cold the day before and even that morning, maybe that affected me?

Well whatever it is, got 5 months to figure it out.  Hoping for redemption on April 16th…

post-marathon quickie

(that’s what she said.)

so yes i am alive and well, but just been busy busy busy these past coupla weeks.  (oh god, today…one shitstorm after another at the office!  thank god for 2-for-1 holiday drinks at Starbucks.  And Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies.  And red wine.)

And actually, I am in the midst of writing up an NYCM report.  I’ve only gotten as far as the start line…keep getting sidetracked!!  My goal is to get it done before Thanksgiving

But for the record, even though obviously it was not the race I wanted and trained for, I am feeling better about the whole thing.  Last weekend hanging out with some of my training buddies and friends at a fun post-marathon party was definitely therapeutic for me.

And I have actually gotten back to running this week (well beginning this past Sunday)…even tested the water with some tempo intervals with the group last nite.  The legs still remember how to run tempo pace, which is encouraging.  That said, my theory is that I ran the 2nd half-especially the last 10k-so slowly, I’m not getting hit with the same post-marathon “wipeout” that I have been in the past.

Which just may work in my favor…as unlike 2009, I am determined to end this racing year on a positive note.  There’s definitely a plan brewing…stay tuned

Finally, best quote ever from NYRR’s Facebook page:
“I was going to say that the continuous NYC Half Marathon/Poland Spring credit/2012 race schedule postings could be a drinking game….then I realized I can’t drink that much.”

NYCM 2011: a disaster

Well obviously I didn’t get my goal, or anywhere close to it.  3:55:30.  Thankfully still got under 4 and didn’t get a personal worst, but definitely was not the race I trained for or wanted by a long shot.

Short story-after running the first half right on pace, it all went to hell in the 2nd half.  Maybe my 3:35 goal was too ambitious.  In addition, dealt with nutritional issues that caused 2 unplanned pit stops, lotsa cramping and nausea and even a med tent visit post finish.

Not sure if I am gonna post a full report…still trying to process it all.  Admittedly, it’s quite disappointing for me.  Even dealing with 80 degrees in Chicago last year was better than this…

I’ll let the splits tell the story for now, as ugly as they are. (FYI-the “pace/mile” column is cumulative time, not per mile.  I only wish I was still hitting sub-9′s late in the going…)

race day approaches!!

Less than 24 hours to go.  In fact, if all goes according to plan, this time tomorrow I will be well into the last 10K of the race…

So the 1st half of the week just wrapping up things at the office for the next few days…and being told by co-workers that I should try and “win” on Sunday so that I could buy our department so we don’t have to work anymore.  LOL.

Then starts what I feel is the best 4-day weekend of the year!!  Starting off on Thursday at the expo…and getting my bib #…thats when it starts to feel real!!

And yes, I know I mentioned a month or so ago that I had gotten assigned originally to wave 2 blue…but thanks to my Philly Half time, I got the NYCM version of the “judges save” and re-assigned to the Local Competitive Start!!  I’m definitely excited about this experience.  I don’t even mind being in green on the lower level…I’ve been orange once and blue once, might as well come full circle no?   In terms of race day, I know I will really have to rein it in at the start-there are definitely gonna be faster peeps around me, I’m just gonna have to let them go and not get too caught up…run my own race!!

And whether the number is low or high, I always like looking for meaning in my race #’s.  And I’m really liking this one!!  744=7+44=the numbers of Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson-2 Yankee greats!!  How can that not bring me luck?

As for the expo, was pretty status quo for NYC.  Didn’t stop me from indulging in some running-related loot…hey, the expo is a candy store for runners.  Most excited about my new Sparkly Soul headbands-I wore a thin silver one on my last run yesterday and the thick hot pink one will be running with me tomorrow-definitely will be reviews to come   One notable abscence at the expo was Nike-now that was big!  I usually get my post-race shirt at the Nike booth…yep, that’s a superstition of mine.  I have to get a shirt that I plan to wear to a post-race party.  Only time I didn’t was MCM…and you know what happened there   Anyway, this time around Saucony or Asics will represent my post-race attire.

Thursday nite was the Flyers’ pasta party!  Change of pace for the venue this year, instead of Sambuca on the UWS where it had been been for the past 5 years-it was at a midtown venue this time-Trattoria Dopo Teatro.  Gotta love that it was within walking distance.  Though I never minded taking the subway to the UWS.  Anyway, once again, food and company were great, and we were treated to a great and inspirational presentation by Bart Yasso!!  He autographed a copy of his book for me (which I’m really looking forward to reading, if his presentation was only a sneak preview!)

"never limit where running can take you"

Yesterday was my last run before the big day…did the last 2.2 miles of the course, and even brought my camera to capture things like the mile markers, route banners, finish line.  Then got my pre-race mani/pedi-Watermelon for the fingers, Borrowed and Blue for the toes, both by Essie.  That’s what I’ve been wearing since the summer for races…and if it ain’t broke   Today is just carbo-loading, chilling, staying off the feet.

As for tomorrow…honestly, I’ve never been this calm before a marathon.  Coach T has truly been a miracle worker with me this year!  And even though the poll results says otherwise…I’m gonna go for 3:35 tomorrow.  I’ll know early enough if it’s gonna be doable or not (I’ve had pretty good judgement of that in the past!) and can adjust but as of right now, that’s the plan.  Thankfully the weather gods are smiling on us again!

So thanks to everyone who’s read along and supported me the last 4 months and more…and that’s all she wrote til I cross the finish line at Tavern on the Green tomorrow!!  Good luck to everyone else running tomorrow!!

see you tomorrow!

my taper madness list, 2011 edition

So last time I poked fun at taper madness was the last time I ran NYCM, 3 years ago…

And the last coupla days, I came up with my laundry list of Things to Freak Out About During the Last Week of the Taper.

1. The weather for Sunday.  Duh.
2. Making sure I don’t catch whatever illness is going around at the office.  Or wherever else, for that matter.
3. Avoiding any and all soccer balls during my last workout at the track (just did some 200s tonite to get some turnover going without it being too much)
4. Idiot bikers who don’t obey red lights and come close to hitting me
5. The Occupy Wall Street peeps possibly “occupying” the marathon
6. Injuring myself from running into idiots in Chelsea Market who have to stop short and take pictures of the disturbing Halloween displays
7. Injuring myself from running into idiots in Time Square while walking to the subway
8. MTA fails on race day
9. Oh and last but not least…the weather!

And yep, I think the Weather Channel was sick of my hitting refresh yesterday, as they decided to give me the forecast in Spanish!

¡Dios mío!

OK back to taper madness!

week 17 wrap-up

ahhhhhhh!!!!! it’s now race week!!!  when did this happen???

So of course, taper week 2 is not without being packed with excitement…yeah if you can call it that.

So track was 8 x 400…no more 1000′s or 1200′s, just short stuff from there on in.  I hit my usual 1:35-1:36 with a 1:34 thrown in there….so while the workout was status quo, of course drama has to come from the loose soccer balls, which one unfortunately nabbed me in the shin-thank God I had my compression sox on!!

Wednesday I knew I had to get my recovery run done in the AM, as between an all-company meeting and the annual celebration of Oktoberfest at work, I knew it was gonna be a wasted day, no pun intended, and that no workout was gonna happen after work.  Sure enough, after sampling all 4 of the CFO’s varieties of home brew I hit the bar afterwards with some other colleagues…yep that was a late nite.

Thursday nite was cold and very rainy.  Cold I can deal with…but no need to be a weather hero so close to game time.  So I bailed on that nite’s workout in favor of some much-needed rest.

As for the weekend…did anyone imagine that it would snow in October?  Yeah, when I saw the forecast a coupla days out I didn’t believe it.  I mean, I didn’t see a low of 32 degrees or lower anywhere.  Boy we were in for a surprise on Saturday!!  My original plan to do a short run including the 5th Ave hill was scrapped in favor of the dreadmill and a yoga class.  On the topic of the dreadmill, I’m finding I actually don’t mind the Woodway brand too much…there’s usually 1 or 2 at the NYSC locations, so if I absolutely have to resort to the dreadmill, I hit up one of those!

So as Central Park was closed for part of yesterday, I hit up the West Side path for my last long run-8 miles with 7 @ MP.  The conditions on the path, post-snowstorm were pretty good.  It wasn’t too cold (I was actually wearing shorts!) though it was pretty windy-the big downside to running along the water, as it meant running into headwinds…and I’m sure you can tell which were the headwind miles.

Running into the wind, those first coupla miles were slower than I wanted.  And even though overall I hit the time, of course I couldn’t help but panic that if it is windy on Sunday, then I am screwed…

Oh yeah how does that weather look?  I know there’s time for it to change, but…

Actually-a little warmer than I would like (ideal for me would be in the 40′s) but compared to this past weekend-I’ll take it!!

poll time-nycm 2011 edition!

Yep, it’s back!! And this time it will be in the sidebar til race day…

Again-realistic guesses please! (if you want to comment your guess, go ahead too!)

So to give some background, I might as well reveal my several tiers of race goals.

• Finish.  After MCM in 2009, I will never take finishing for granted ever again.
• Sub-4.  I’ve never run a marathon over 4 hours.  I’d kind of like to keep up that streak.
• Sub-3:40.  Will be my third time trying for it!!  Would love to get this time after it has eluded me the last coupla years…and oh yeah, is also the new BQ time for my age group.
• Sub-3:35.  BQ-5 for me, or the open standard…would be kinda cool to get even though I’ve aged up :)  Using my SI Half time as a predictor, McMillan sez 3:31:51.  Doable?  Maybe.  My MP work has been around that pace… (and for what it’s worth, in 2008 McMillan predicted a time 23 secs slower than what I actually ran in NYC!  Pretty damn close.)
• If things were to go totally, absolutely perfect…stars aligned, etc…sub-3:30.  in other words, I don’t anticipate this one happening.  If it does, I will be dancing on tables   Daniels predicts 3:28:39 from my SI Half time, but I still feel that is a little aggressive…

Training seemed, mileage-wise, to be sorta in line with 2008-which coincidentally, was my last good marathon   But lot more quality this time around (track, tempo, hills), including MP work, and the race times showed it

And for fun, a little comparison of the tune-up races in previous years and what they led to on race day

	NYC 2006	NYC 2008	Chicago 2010	NYC 2011
5K	N/A	22:44	23:24 22:48	22:30
4 mile	N/A	N/A	N/A	28:43
5 mile	39:03	38:11	37:36	36:00
Half-marathon	1:47:51 (NYC Half) 1:48:57 (Grete’s)	1:42:20	1:44:19 (extrapolated from 20K time)	1:38:58 (flat) 1:40:27 (hilly)
Marathon result	3:58:26	3:44:14	3:43:06	???

Vote early. But do not vote often-I once again fixed it so certain people won’t try and stuff the ballot box…you all know who you are!

Thanks for playing!

week 16 wrap-up

One week of taper down.  2 to go.

Sunday was the “last 10 miles” run.  Which was good, I needed to revisit 5th Avenue.  And given that the portion in the Bronx changed since I ran the race last, would be a good idea to check that out as well and make mental notes.

So no need to take a cab this time, I was supposed to get in 12-14 miles so running to the meetup spot from midtown was a perfect warmup.  A big crowd was assembled, not quite the 500 from last week but still a decent size.  We separated into pace groups…I was 9 minutes…duh   And set off.

Once again, I tried to make notes of hills (one i specifically seemed to take note of was up to 86th)…hmmm not as bad as I remembered though.  Almost made a wrong turn in Da Bronx at that 3 way intersection but got back on track   There’s gonna be a coupla really quick turns around 140th….tangents, anyone?

The first mile was right on the money at 8:57, but afterwards I noticed others were starting to push the pace a bit and I was falling behind.  Was barely hanging in there, thank god for the intersections to regroup.  Even when we got back to Manhattan, I didn’t want to push it, as I had to save something for 5th Avenue.  And unfortunately, that was where I really got dropped.  So frustrating.  I had to do under 8:40 at that point and yet I couldn’t stick with everyone.  (remember, this was supposed to be the 9:00 group…)  At that point it was just like “get to the park, and get this done without embarrassing myself further.”

And overall was definitely quicker than I wanted, the 10 turned out to average 8:39 pace.  So much for just doing 9′s and cruising through it.  But the frustrating part was not being able to stick with the group when they were going faster, especially since most were people I should be able to stick with in workouts or races, if not finish ahead of.  The only way I could have stuck with them was if I turned it into a race effort, as is I was at the very edge of my comfort zone.  How will I ever run a faster pace in 2 weeks if I can’t do it now?  Thankfully Coach T was amongst those waiting for everyone at the finish, as I definitely had to vent…

I really hope this run was just a fluke, but who knows?  One more chance to run MP next weekend and I really hope I nail it.  And hope the legs get with the program next time I have to run 5th Avenue…

And the 15-day forecast for November 6th is out.  Let the weather obsessions begin!

say hello to my (new) little friend

Soooo…I mentioned the other day that Mr. Garmin had his final run on Sunday. Who is his successor, you wonder?

None other than the Garmin 310XT.  Thanks to a 15% discount and having a lot of $$ in the form of gift cards to spend at JackRabbit, I was able to pick this baby up.  Why did I go with this as opposed to the models that look more like a watch?  Well first off, I hate the touch bezel.  And the screen is too small-I like having 4 fields on the screen.  The model with the touch screen looks cool, but since it’s so new I’m sure it’s still sorta buggy.  This model got good reviews.  And it’s water-resistant!  And I love the wireless transfer-beats the hell out of the USB transfer, which was giving me nothing but problems for awhile…

I tried it out for the first time at the track and was pretty easy to use.  I wish I could say the workout was as easy!  Another workout of 1000′s…keeping with tapering, lessening the volume, not the intensity.

Interval	Time	Pace
1000m	4:11.73	6:45.12
1000m	4:11.91	6:45.41
1000m	4:08.90	6:40.57

quite similar to last week!  just over 4:10, then get just under for the last one.  Glad this workout was short and sweet, as I headed uptown to have some drinks with the Flyers, where I modeled one of my newer apparel acquisitions.

 So yesterday I got to test how water-resistant this thing is, as it was raining.  The downside was that it seemed to take forever to get a signal-something I thought was improved over the 305 with this model!  Not exactly fun when it’s raining   Anyway, it finally locked and I banged out some easy miles.  The device held up well (not that it was raining super-hard) and when I got home I downloaded a device software update hoping it will help the satellite problem…

Looks like it did, as it located the satellites in less than a minute.  Wow, I think that may be a record, especially in midtown Manhattan!   More 1000′s on the agenda tonite-though tempo.  5 x 1000, minute rest inbetween.  Shoot for 4:30.  (tempo splits outlined in red below.)

I think this was the first time-at least in a very long time-that I actually nailed the tempo.  Could be because it was cool and not humid for a change, or maybe everything is finally coming together, but I was definitely pleased!

So far, so good, I think me and my new Garmin friend will be very happy together.  Though it needs a name, can’t use Mr. Garmin again…any suggestions?

week 15 wrap-up

3 weeks to go! And you know what that means…

Hey on the topic, might as well throw in some MC Hammer for your listening pleasure…

Getting back to business.  Yep, this was not an easy week at all.  Even 2 days later, I was still feeling my race, but me and my compression socks sucked it up through a set of 4×1000′s.  There was an option to add on another 800 at the end, but Coach T said for me it wasn’t optional.  meaning he was saving me from myself and cutting me off after the 1000′s.

I was supposed to hit 4:10′s…got there eventually

Interval	Time	Pace
1000m	4:11.64	6:44.98
1000m	4:11.10	6:44.11
1000m	4:12.32	6:46.07
1000m	4:10.82	6:43.66

Thursday was hills, then Sunday was the last 20-miler-the “3 Bridges Run Redux.”  Once again, I’d be leading the “niners.”  Difference this time was a much earlier wake-up call!!  As this run brought around 500 people, it had to be split up into multiple waves as opposed to the 3 waves of 2 weeks ago.  What does that mean for me?  The 9 minute group would be departing for run at 6:45.  AM.  Yes you read that right.  The sun was barely up when we left.  But hey, it means we’d get back earlier to shop at JackRabbit (the run meeting place), right?   (and definitely was fortuitous that this run left from the west side JR!  meaning no transfers, no MTA fails!)

So anyway, we were blessed with another nice day, albeit a little windy, especially in the early miles on the West Side Highway.  Mental note-if it’s windy on race day, draft off of someone taller   I was the sole leader for the group this time around, though pretty much everyone stuck together and a couple others helped me at times.  Another great group to work with!  The pacing went well as usual-only miles that were slower were the headwind and bridge miles, and not by much.  In fact, at the water station at the 10.5 mile point in Brooklyn, Flyer PN who was manning the station with his wife said that my group was within a minute or 2 of the expected arrival time.  whoa.  how good is that?   We hit a bit of traffic in the park, as there was some huge walk going on that was taking up almost the entire 72nd street transverse and the east drive.  Found a clearing and crossed in order to hit the Great Lawn and get over to the west side and back to where we started…though we did have to do a little bit extra around the block to get exactly to 20 miles!   But we were DONE!!

And the splits:

Mile 2 had the major headwind…and I’m sure you can tell where the bridges were   But all in all, not bad.

Sooo afterwards I did some shopping…yep I had quite a bit of $$ to spend at JR, since I got gift cards for pacing both 3 Bridges runs and my baby brother got me a gift card for my B-day too.  I’ll eventually reveal what I got, but I will say that Mr. Garmin took FOREVER to get a signal before the run.  He must have known it would be his last outing or something   (and it was a good thing my group was one of the first to finish-no lines!!  By the time the later groups finished, the lines were insane!)  And I hit up 16 Handles because of course, it’s never too early for 16 Handles.  Even at 11 AM.  Especially after running 20 miles

Thankfully not really sore today…compression socks FTW!!  I think the hot pink CEP’s are gonna be part of the marathon outfit again   Did get a much-needed massage today for good measure!!  And for the next 3 weeks?  It’s all about staying uninjured and hoping to not catch whatever is going around in my office.  Let the taper madness begin!

the times, they are a-changin’

Hi everyone!  Well of course I have to comment on this week’s hot topic in the running world.

In case you have been in hibernation the last few days, here it is, plain and simple-guidelines for NYCM guaranteed entry will be changing.  And honestly, this doesn’t surprise me, I knew it was only a matter of time.

Thankfully, the 9+1 (9 races + 1 volunteer) won’t be changing-for now.  I don’t think they would ever do away with it, but would up it in the future (11+2?  Have some sort of distance requirement for part of the 9 so someone can’t do all 4 or 5 milers to get in?)  So here’s what’s changing and my thoughts on them:

Qualifying by cancelling entry. In the past, applicants to the marathon who canceled their entry according to cancellation guidelines were eligible for guaranteed entry to the following year’s race, and could continue to cancel (and receive guaranteed entry) in subsequent years. Our new policy preserves the cancellation policy but prohibits guaranteed entry by this method following a second consecutive cancellation. Applicants who cancelled in 2010 and 2011 are grandfathered in.

I personally agree this had to happen, as I know there are people who sign up every year and cancel with no intention of running it, or are a “maybe” at best.  Why have a spot for those who are wishy-washy instead of someone who really wants to be there?

Qualifying by being denied entry three consecutive times. In the past, applicants to the marathon have been eligible for guaranteed entry if they have been denied entry three years in a row. This policy will be gradually eliminated. Applicants denied entry for the three years 2009-2011 will be eligible for guaranteed entry in 2012. Applicants denied entry for the three years 2010-2012 will be eligible for guaranteed entry in 2013. Applicants denied entry for the three years 2011-2013 will not be eligible for guaranteed entry in 2014.

This I sort of wish they didn’t have to get rid of-especially since out of towners don’t have the option of the 9+1, they should have a chance to get in eventually.  But I guess cuts had to be made somewhere…

Qualifying by finishing 15 previous New York City Marathons. The ING New York City Marathon offers eligibility for guaranteed entry to runners who have finished 15 or more New York City Marathons. We will discontinue this policy, though we will grandfather in all runners who accumulate 15 or more finishes as of 2015.

This I am a little conflicted about, as I can see both sides of the situation.  This was a policy that rewarded dedication.  On the other hand, I’d rather see someone who has never done the race before get in and have a chance to run rather than someone who has run it 15+ times.  I do feel for those who are just gonna barely miss out (will only have 13 or 14 by 2015…)

Qualifying with a fast marathon or half-marathon time. The time qualifying standards will be tightened to 75% of age-graded times in five-year increments.

Ohhh this is the biggie.  And honestly, especially given Boston tightening their standards, I knew it was only a matter of time before NYC changed theirs.  And if anyone remembers that far back-the current standards are actually looser than have been in the past.  The current standards were last changed in 2006-I can’t remember for other age groups, but for open women, the half time got loosened from 1:34 to 1:37, and marathon from 3:18 to 3:23.  And apparently they had gotten loosened in 2005 too, meaning 2004 and earlier were harder than 1:34/3:18.  Sooo…what is the latest?

Yeah.  Way, way outta my league.  And if anything, I think my age group (the 30-somethings…both men and women) gets hit hardest by this (yeah, I know the 40-44 AG has more time chopped off…but hear me out.)  As you may (or may not know), runners start getting age-graded time adjustments at age 30, meaning that a certain AG% for someone in mid-to-late 30′s would be a different time than someone in their 20′s.  For example-75% for a 35-year-old female would be 1:28:38 for a half, and 3:03:19 for a full marathon-not quite 1:27/3:00.  Granted, I’m nowhere near these times right now, but even a minute or 2 can make a difference for someone who is in striking distance.  I think the fair thing to do would have been to separate out 30-39 or 35-39 instead of lumping all under 40 together.

And contrary to popular belief (from what I have heard others say), I truly believe the shift in the times is NOT a ploy to screw over local runners…if anything, I think non-local runners get more screwed, again we are lucky to still have the option of the 9+1! 

As for me…yeah it will still be 9+1 for me   Since these standards won’t be going into effect til 2013, I may have one more shot in January to try for a sub-1:37 half.  As for the new standards?  Well right now, they are definitely out of reach for me.  That said, I remember saying in 2006 when the standards changed last “…not that I am anywhere close to these times right now…”  And 5 years later, i was in striking distance of the half standard…what could be in another 5 years?  (unless they change again! )

What are everyone else’s thoughts on the changes to the NYCM guaranteed entry standards?

my first F35-39 race (staten island half report)

So even though I mentioned the possiblity of racing the Staten Island Half previously, I was sorta quiet about it since I wasn’t sure what my strategy was gonna be.  I had signed up just to have the opportunity to use it as a long run, or marathon-pace run if need be, as it falls on the weekend between my two 20-milers.  But after missing my goal in Philly, Coach T and I talked about the possiblity of racing this one, and he did give me the blessing to go for it.  I ran this race only once before-5 years ago, but just as a training run.  I distinctly remembered 1 hill in the beginning, and a biggie at mile 8, but was described by many as a PR course.  The weather forecast was a bit warmer than ideal, but considering I ran great races in the summer heat, I didn’t let that psych me out one bit.

So that Sunday (4 weeks out from the big day, to be exact), I did the routine that most likely would happen on marathon day too.  Woke up way too early.  Breakfast and coffee (Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice coffee FTW!  Perfect since I ran out of Peppermint and almost out of Gingerbread and those won’t be back in the stores for while.)  Put the race outfit on…went with the Adioses again for the shoes, and actually tried out a different racing outfit-Flyers singlet (I usually wear the fitted top) and my Lululemon Speed shorts (instead of my short fitted Nike shorts.)  As the shorts have gel pockets, I wouldn’t need a pocket in my top…so I wanted to try out racing in this combo.  (is it me, or do I use this half to try out new shorts?  Last time it was the infamous “naked shorts”…)

And I left my place around 5:30ish, and barely caught the 1 train at Times Square.  Yep, even though NYRR suggested we take the 7:30 ferry at the latest, I felt that would be cutting it too close.  I took the ferry to a Staten island Yankee game this past summer, and it was almost a half hour late.  If the 7:30 was that late, I’d be missing the start.  So I decided to take the 6:30 ferry…I’d rather get to Staten Island early and zone out rather than be in the terminal on the Manhattan side and stress out.  And given that the ferry terminal had plenty of runners, I wasn’t alone in that assessment (of course, some may have been frontloading with a few extra miles.)  I strategically positioned myself near the ferry entrance, and when the doors opened, was able to get a seat near where the exit would be on the SI side and a window seat too.  I think this ferry left maybe 5 minutes late…not too bad, I just listened to my race morning playlist and enjoyed the views during the trip.  And even after getting to SI, the time seemed to go by quickly…found a place to sit and chill out (beautiful morning to sit outside by the water!)…chatted with Flyer and non-Flyer friends, before I knew it, was time to head to the corrals.

just out of the starting gate-i'm to the right of purple chick

So I don’t know who was on announcing duty today, but I actually missed Mary Wittenberg.  This guy was going on and on about the weather and how it was so hot…oh yeah and the comment about how the ChampionChip is “as useful as a rotary phone” (if thats the case, can I get my $35 back that I paid for it way back when?)  I even heard the guy was making fun of people who were late because they were delayed by the ferry…yeah there was some drama there.  Not only was the 7:30 ferry late, but it couldn’t hold everyone waiting.  There was an additional one added around 8-ish, I believe?  But still there were definitely a lot of people who were going to miss the start.  (wow-am I glad I decided to go on the early ferry!)  Even though they did say they were going to delay the start, Mr. Garmin said I started at 8:32 (original start time was 8:30) so they couldn’t have waited that long…

So we headed out of the stadium and onto the streets…mile 1 was uphill but I felt in control.  When I saw my first mile was 7:23 I was pleased…but there was the possibility I may have gone out too fast.  Oh yeah, we were running on unshaded roads on a warm and sunny day, and remember that supposed “flat and fast” course?

Um yeah.  I remembered there was gonna be a hill at mile 8, but I definitely did not remember some of the others!

I just kept going…at around mile 3 I saw Lam speed past me…apparently he got caught on one of the late ferries and had to weave his way through the field (but no worries, since he still PR’ed!  yay!)  I said to him to “go get it.”  As for me, it’s possible my fast start worked against me, as the next 3 miles were 7:34, 7:44, 7:42.  Uh oh…could I be in trouble?  Somewhere in mile 4 I heard someone cheering for me…I looked quickly and saw AP, our Master Blaster…since he’s our resident Staten Islander, I figured he’d either be running or spectating.

Mile 5 dropped to 7:55…yeah that was up another hill.  But still.  I could have very easily thrown in the towel but just make the rest of the race a marathon-pace run but I chose to fight.  Being that this was an out-and-back, what goes up must come down, right?  And we were nearing the part of the course that I really liked, as the turnaround as around a mile away I saw people coming back on the other side…then it was my turn to hit the turnaround…I heard people cheering for me and if I couldn’t acknowledge you, I’m sorry-was too focused on the task at hand but know it was appreciated! 

just passed my teammate with a mile or 2 to go...

Then mile 8 brought the hill.  The one that 5 years ago I said was “a bigger bitch than I am.”  Seemed like it lasted almost the entire mile!  “Come on, Flyer!” said a guy wearing a NYC Triathlon top who was trying to encourage me to stick with him.  Relief when we hit the top.  At 8:04, this was by far the slowest mile of the race, and my only mile over 8 minutes.  Even the downhill right afterwards…didn’t feel like a reward right then and there, took about 100-200 meters to recover from the hill.  Mile 9 went through Fort Wadsworth…boy it’s gonna look quite different in 4 weeks, just crawling with runners   Come to think of it-I’m sure there was a view of the Verrazano Bridge somewhere in these last coupla miles but I didn’t even notice!  Exited the Fort and went back into town…saw AP again with his son, and he was taking pictures…I’m sure I didn’t look too happy at that point though

So up til mile 10 or 11, was just trying to maintain pace.  By this point there were people to pace off of…NYC Tri guy, and a couple of Dashing Whippets (I just hoped I wasn’t being too annoying, my breathing was getting loud by that point…working hard!)  In the beginning, everyone who had started late and weaving their way through the field…didn’t know who was running what pace!  By now everyone had pretty much settled in.  Memories from the backstretch…me saying “Shut up!” to those saying “Almost there!” and having other runners say “thank you!”…the very welcome sprinklers at the water stations and elsewhere…the DJ playing “Rain Over Me” and me thinking “ooh rain would be nice right now” 

finishing stretch!

After the bridge at the beginning of mile 12, I thought the hills were over…ugh I guess I forgot about one more!  But then I really think it’s downhill from here?  And passing by the mile 12 marker, I could hear the announcer for the finishers but I forced myself to not look in that direction, just crank it for the last mile.  Headed down the ramp into the stadium with about a half-mile to go and I knew it was just a straight shot to the finish.  And the clock was saying 1:40:xx…which was just alright by me!!

Final time-1:40:27, 7:40 pace.  My 3rd fastest half ever (only 2 faster were in Philly) and a soft ”hilly course” PR, i guess  

The deets:

Split	Time	Elevation Gain	Elevation Loss
1	7:23.8	17	10
2	7:34.7	32	51
3	7:44.3	14	14
4	7:42.1	45	14
5	7:55.2	68	12
6	7:26.2	0	94
7	7:42.6	13	22
8	8:04.8	105	0
9	7:30.6	0	70
10	7:32.5	13	32
11	7:44.0	0	5
12	7:57.3	61	43
13	7:25.0	39	43
13.1	0:43.6 (6:38 pace)	0	0

As you can see, the elevation changes tell the story of the splits!

And I was 12th in my new age group…my highest age-group placing ever in a NYRR race!!  Maybe there is something to this whole 35-39 age group   The Flyer women took 3rd and I was the 3rd Flyer female so I got one of these:

And yeah, I know the high placing and finishing 3rd among the Flyer women was only because a lot of the fasties did Grete’s the previous weekend…so a little bittersweet.  I’ll take it though!  Hadn’t gotten one of those team medals in a long time (few years?)…we have so many fast women on the team now, the times I finish top 5 are few and far between!

So even though I would have loved to have run 1:38-1:39…or better if that was where the day took me, I’m still happy with this race.  I could have easily thrown in the towel and “tempoed” it but I fought to the finish.  Unlike Brooklyn, I wasn’t roadkill in the last 5 miles And besides, I do remember that it was only a few years ago when I was frustrated at being stuck at a 1:47-1:48 plateau for the half, I was trying to break 1:45 but coming up short…now I can knock on the door of 1:40 in non-ideal conditions on a hilly course?  And of course, eye on the prize and I like that this race predicts a 3:31 marathon…

Next?  Now it’s time to get in that last big week and the last 20 miler, then taper down and stay uninjured before the big day in 4 weeks!