Hilly and Hot

When my alarm went off at 5a.m. on Saturday morning, I instinctively rolled over and hit snooze like any other weekday.  The next time my eyes popped open it was 6:15 and my alarm was blaring a Katy Perry song in my ear, shouting at me to wake up.  I jumped out of bed as if my sheets were on fire and ran around my bedroom, throwing on anything that resembled running attire.  It was the first Saturday I would be attending a Team in Training run in Central Park and I needed to be at the Path by 6:45 to meet my friends.  I managed to brush my teeth, pack my bag, pick up a bagel at the store and make it up to the station by 6:50, which I considered a success.  Waiting for me was David (my co-worker who I managed to coerce into running the marathon with me) and Vanessa (our co-worker visiting from the UK and a fellow runner) and once I got there we made our way into the city.   On the Path we met a mentor from our program that has completed 11 marathons so far; I’ll be honest when I saw her wearing a running skirt I assumed she was a beginner!  She was so helpful and offered lots of advice and before I knew it we were in the park and approaching the meeting area. 

I am a bad New Jerseyan and rarely venture into the city.  I cannot even tell you the last time (if ever!) I was in Central Park.  I was shocked to see all the people buzzing around at 8:30 in the morning – folks walking dogs with coffee in hand, runners already covered in a layer of sweat making their way through the park and vendors setting up their coolers of water in anticipation for the hot day.  Christine, the NYC run coach, kicked things off with some warm weather tips and then we divided into pacing groups.  The coach leading my group, Felicia, warned us that since it was such a warm day we needed to slow our pace down a bit and hydrate often.  Our group ranged from people running 4 – 6 miles and according to my training schedule (Hal Higdon) I was set to complete 5. 

The run was hilly and hot.  Who knew there were so many hills in Central Park?!?!  The coaches encourage you to talk to the people in your group as you run but by mile 3 I was too distracted with the sweat pouring down my face to do much chatting.  A few times I was really tempted to bust out in a Phoebe Buffay stride, letting my arms and legs just flail around, but Felicia did a great job of keeping me focused. 

We passed many other TnT groups and received a lot of encouragement from other runners which was actually really motivating when the top of the hill just wouldn’t come fast enough.  I was chastised a bit for not running with a water bottle as it seems everyone out that day was clutching one or wearing a hydration belt (I hit up the Running Company on my way home and will be running with one next time!).  I’ve been warned that the marathon course is hilly so I really enjoyed the course we took through the park, even though it was quite a departure from my flat and fast route along the Hudson.  I could feel the difference all the lunges and squats are making on my legs since I definitely could power up those hills a lot faster than when I ran my hilly half marathon in DC in March. 

Overall, my first training experience with Team in Training was a great one and I’m a bit sad that I will be out of town the next 3 Saturdays and unable to attend.  Just a quick fundraising note, I am now only $305 away from the halfway mark (which I need to reach by July 26^th!).  Thank you so much to everyone who has donated!  And of course, thank you to my awesome family/friends who continue to text me encouraging words, listen to my running ramblings and read this blog – you are the best. J

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Fartlek

While it may sound like a gross bodily function or a healthy grain you should be eating (that would be farro, for those interested), fartlek is the Swedish word for “speed play” and is a common speed training technique for long distance runners.  I am not the speediest of runners and in order to finish the marathon in my goal time (5 hours) I need to increase my speed just a bit.  My goal is quite lofty, considering I need to get down from an 11:30 mile to a 9:30 mile to achieve it and that isn’t counting bathroom breaks (I may just end up wearing an adult diaper for this race, stay tuned for updates!). 

Yesterday I took the Hard Bodies class earlier in the day and it was a killer – lots of lunges, squats, frog jumps, etc. – and my legs were feeling it.  My co-worker/gym buddy Jaime and I decided to meet after work and jog to a nearby track to do some speed training.  Jaime has recently taken up running and will often come out on runs with me; the guy doesn’t look like your typical runner but he has the craziest calf muscles and at one point yesterday I thought he might start running circles around me.  But he usually humors me and stays at my pace, which makes him a good running partner.

The Weehawken track and field is pretty new and because it’s one of the nicest fields in the area, always busy.  The Zog Sports teams were playing soccer on the field, there were a few other people running and the weather was gorgeous – all of which made a perfect backdrop for the torturous sprints we endured.    We ran .7 miles to the track and then did 7 laps – sprinting the longer portions of the track (using light poles as the point to stop) and jogging the short, rounded portion.  My garmin couldn’t accurately calculate my speed for the sprints since they were somewhat short lived but since I had to walk the last two laps at the rounded parts I knew I had sprinted at a good pace.  We then jogged back to Hoboken, ending the day with 3.8 miles done.  I’m not sure if it was the most effective speed workout I’ve ever done but it was good for the first time and I will be doing more research into the sprints I can be doing.  In high school I was fortunate enough to go to a speed and agility coach and I’m pretty sure I remember some of the workouts from back then, so I will work on incorporating those into my routine. 

Today is Friday, which means I get to take the day off from training to prepare for my long run.  Tomorrow morning I will wake up at an ungodly hour to head into Central Park and run 5 miles with Team in Training.  I’m excited to meet my mentor and the other coaches who have been bombarding my inbox with emails since I signed up. The one thing I can say about TNT is that they provide you with so much information, it’s a little overwhelming.  Indulging in a little pasta tonight, very excited – Happy Friday!!

Feathers and Lead

I’m a simple girl (those who know me, please stop laughing…I can hear you!) and it’s the little things in life that make me happy – crisp clean sheets on my bed, a new book from my favorite author, a phone call from a friend who is far away and a good run top the list.  The storms from Monday ushered in some cooler weather so I had tucked my visor and some sunscreen in my gym bag and made a plan to run at lunch. 

After “locating the satellites” (for all the non-runners, that’s the irritating period before a run when you wear a Garmin GPS running watch and are waiting for the satellites to align with your watch) I started out along the waterfront for a slow 3 miles.  The temperature was perfect, the breeze cool enough to be refreshing yet not provide resistance and the miles flew by.  There are piers along the waterfront that I usually run out and back to increase my mileage and I decided to sprint them, bumping up from a 11:45mm to a 10mm with relative ease.  It was just one of those days and had I not been on my lunch break, I would have kept going until my legs gave out.  It’s runs like this that make me excited for the marathon and I finished up with a nice 3.5miles in about 40 minutes.

The view from the pier at 14th - not too shabby!

 

The view from Hoboken of the skyline on a clear night is something I will never tire of.  Eager to take advantage of the nice weather, I decided to go out for a 4 mile walk last night.  Well…I also really wanted some frozen yogurt so that might have motivated me a bit too.  I swear, they must be putting crack in the frozen yogurt because I have developed a serious addiction!  After a little bit of yogurt I made sure I was in bed early so I could be up with the birds (or in my case, the delivery men at the CVS next door) for a run.

One thing I struggle with is what to eat before I run.  I have low blood sugar so I definitely need something in my stomach, especially in the warmer months.  After poring through various articles on the subject, I settled on toast in the mornings since I would be eating within 30 minutes of my run and they recommend you have quick-digesting carbohydrates.  I overslept a bit but had my toast at 7 and was out the door at 7:30.  Yesterday my legs felt like they were filled with feathers – today, it was like two lead poles.  It was a bright, sunny morning and the 3 miles were definitely invigorating but I can’t say I enjoyed myself like the day before.  Did I not have the right fuel in my stomach or did I overdo it with the walk?  I will give the toast another shot and scale back my walks in the evening.  Maybe I will replace it with a drink at the rooftop bar in town? Plenty of other ways to enjoy the nice weather!

Tomorrow I will be taking a hard bodies class (I missed the class today so I will try to make it tomorrow!) and doing some speed training at the track in the evening.  Looking forward to my day of rest on Friday!

Oh Shit!

I am a believer in karma, horoscopes, the universe and all things spiritual.  Every morning I check my horoscope to see what the day will hold and yesterday this was my message:

“It can be overwhelming to make a long-term commitment, whether you're thinking about signing up for a new course of study or planning a journey of discovery. You may like your idealistic aspirations in theory, yet are worried that you will want an escape route if you get scared along the way. Instead of talking yourself out of taking a risk; find ways to amuse yourself, even while following through on achieving your lofty goals.”

Last week I had my “oh shit” moment.  The excitement had worn off, I had begun to read all the stories about injuries/black toenails (eww) and I was getting cold feet.  Did I really just commit myself to 26.2 miles?  To raising $3,700?  To changing my lifestyle for 18+ weeks?  Oh yes, I did and there is no turning back.  My friend Gina will tell you that I am infamous for my enthusiasm in the beginning of a project or plan but my follow through is often lacking.  I can make excel spreadsheets, detailed plans, training calendars until the cows come home but if the deadline is too far away I will lose sight of it and fall off plan. 

When I realized what lie ahead of me, I freaked out.  I buried my running sneakers in the corner of my room and spent the week avoiding anything with the words “run” and “marathon” in them.  I consumed some cocktails (because that’s always the answer, right?) and watched Bravo on repeat until I woke up one day and realized this marathon wasn’t going away and I had to do it.  Sure, I could allow myself to have an off day here or there – no one maintains enthusiasm for a goal 100% of the time (although Gina comes pretty damn close!).  But a whole week of slovenly living is not acceptable anymore.  I won’t give up before I start and I will run this marathon.

Yesterday I lugged my soft body to the Hard Bodies class at the gym.  From what I have read, core and upper body strength are very important in your success as a long distance runner.  I also really, really want Michelle Obama-esque arms by my 30^th birthday and lifting a wine glass up to my lips just doesn’t work the muscles like holding a plank does!  Thanks to the crazy storms that passed through here yesterday the temperature has dropped a bit so I am looking forward to a 3 mile run at lunchtime.  And if I need a little extra motivation, I saved this picture on my phone as my lock screen as a reminder:

Happy running! :)

Baby Steps

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" - Lao-tzu

When I signed up to run this marathon, I made a commitment to myself - for the next 5 plus months I was going to make running a priority, eat well, sleep more and live a healthier lifestyle.  For the past two years I have been over-eating, over-drinking and watching far too much Bravo TV at 2 in the morning.  So when June 1st rolled around I popped open my Excel spreadsheet (in true accountant form) and created a schedule for the next 30 days.  One large change I have decided to make is getting up early in the morning to complete my run.  It's been a long time since I have woken up at 6 a.m. but for the past week I have been setting my alarm for that time to get used to the change (I would fall back asleep for two hours afterwards, but that's not the point! lol).  

Monday mornings are the worst.  Every Sunday afternoon I become overwhelmed with the "weekend-is-almost-over" blues and decide to engage in all kinds of non-friendly Sunday behavior.  I will eat a big meal, drink a few too many cocktails, ignore the laundry I promised I would do all weekend (ignorance is bliss!) and hide in my bed watching endless amounts of TV until I wake up at 4am with an infomercial blaring in the background, totally unprepared for the week ahead.  Now that the marathon and I are exclusively dating (I think it's serious, he might pop the question soon) I knew that the first thing that had to go was my Sunday mistress.  So last night I watched the Real Housewives of NJ and had a vodka club (let's be honest, some habits die hard), laying out my gym clothes and packing my lunch on commercial breaks.  When 11 p.m. rolled around I shut off the TV, brushed my teeth and went to bed.  When the alarm went off at 6, I hit snooze twice but rolled out of bed 20 minutes later ready to start my day.  I did 3 miles of speedwork this morning, ate healthy meals/snacks all day and even managed to fit in a Hard Bodies class at lunchtime.  

Fellow runners will understand - some days the miles fly by, you feel like you can run forever, yet other days 3 miles feel like 50 and  I would sign away my first born to be done with my workout.  This morning I started at 12:30 minute miles and cut off 30 seconds for every quarter mile.  The final mile was rough as I was basically sprinting but the mileage was flying by (and there was a super hot guy running next to me, always helpful!) and I finished the run.

Tomorrow calls for 3 easy miles (easy means I will run at a slower pace than my goal for the race, which for me means 11 minute miles) and I am looking forward to getting up in the morning.  Real Housewives of NY premieres tonight but fortunately it will be over by 10 and I will be tucked in by 10:30!  Well, probably more like 11pm.  Baby steps ;)

I Run…Because I Can.

I’ve always wanted to run the ING NYC marathon.  Every year I turn on the TV on the first Sunday of November, curl up on my couch in my pajamas and watch as thousands of people run through the streets of New York City, telling myself “one day that will be you.”  This past year I ventured into the city to finally watch the race in person – the enthusiasm of the crowd was overwhelming and the pride on each runner’s face as they rounded the bend of the final mile in Central Park made me ache with envy.  A few months later when an email was circulated at work about Team in Training, I took it as a sign that the time had come to cross this goal off my bucket list.  The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) is such a great organization, with 76.2% of the funds raised going to research, patient services and education.  My grandma Betty passed away from Lymphoma and I feel fortunate to be able to run in her memory.

Running is my therapy.   When I run I surrender myself to gravity and just throw one foot in front of the other, confident that it will land in place and carry me forward.  It allows me time to reflect on my thoughts, explore my dreams, clear my head and lose myself in my Bruce Springsteen playlist.  Much like going to church, I never regret going for a run after I have finished.  Too often I get caught up in the superficial crap in life but running makes me thankful for what I have and so I keep running…because I can.

So…why am I blogging?  Well, I figured my friends and family would be waiting with bated breath to hear all the details of my training and this seems to be the best medium for sharing the news (although I’d really prefer to tell you over a drink at happy hour, but this will have to do for now!).  I was never one to keep a journal when I was younger (when I moved out of my parents’ house I found at least 12 journals with one or two entries in them - apparently I have commitment issues) but I want this blog to hold me accountable for my training as well.  And of course, I want this journey to be well documented so I when I re-read this story to my future children and grandchildren (wearing my medal of course, we all know I really just like to run for the race bling) I won’t forget a single detail. J

This morning started my official marathon training.  I was up at 6am (yes, the girl who peels herself out of bed at 8:15 every morning bounced out of bed at 6!) for a 3 mile run with a friend.  Who knew so many people were up and out at that time in the morning in Hoboken?!? It was a tough run and my legs felt like they were filled with lead – I am sure the few drinks I had the night before coupled with the 1am bedtime (why I must watch Friends re-runs every night, I will never know) did not help matters.  Part of my training will be learning to get to bed early and leaving happy hour once the hour is up!  I am definitely going to switch all my runs from lunchtime to the morning; I am amazed at the amount of energy I have and it feels so good to have that one thing out of the way. 

Finally, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has donated thus far.  I am so grateful to have such caring and generous people in my life – your support means the world to me (below is the link to my Team in Training page).

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nyc12/kheckn

 Heading to happy hour to celebrate my first successful training run - thank God for a day of rest tomorrow!