9 Miles

This morning, I ran* 9 miles. The farthest I have ever run at one time. Also, it was the first time that I realized that I am actually getting better at this.  *I walked a little

Last Monday, I attempted a double loop of the inner circle of the park - appx. 8 miles - and nearly died. I experienced what most runners refer to as "hitting the wall". On the west side of the park (opposite of where I need to be to get home quickly), I hit the wall around the 6 mile point. I was exhausted. My legs ached. My feet hurt. It was getting dark and I knew I needed to just get home. **Though it is completely safe to run in Central Park in the evenings (plenty of people out, police presence, etc.) after a certain point, most runners have finished their run and the park starts to get a bit scary** The pain and exhaustion combined with the panic of feeling alone in the park made my chest feel tight. How would I run away from harm if my legs couldn't even move from my own will?  I was anxiety ridden and put everything into keeping my legs moving in small bursts of running to get out of the park as fast as I could.

Hitting the wall hurts. Hitting the wall sucks.

But, there is a way through the wall - along with properly fueling your body before a long run (something of which I did not do on Monday), energy gels (like Gu) can help break through the pain and exhaustion of reaching that point.

Today, I ran prepared. I properly fueled my body the night before (knowing I had planned a long run this morning), filled both bottles in the run belt with electrolyte-filled Gatorade, and packed a berry-flavored Gu within the pocket of the Amphipod.

**The running belt belongs to Craig and he kindly lets me borrow it when I need the hydration during long runs. He has been resting and recuperating from running the NYC Half Marathon last weekend.**


After a full loop of the park (appx. 6 miles), I decided it was time to test out the Gu. The horror stories I heard about this stuff made me apprehensive, but I found it to be not so terrible. Sure, the consistency is unusually thick, but the flavoring wasn't bad. The tri-berry flavor tasted sort of like how the interior of a pre-packaged jelly doughnut would taste. You know, that fake kind of filling that is a little bit too thick for the outside of it?  But, it served its purpose. I gives you that boost that allows you to feel like you can keep going, at least for a little while. Even if it's raining outside. Miracle product, I swear.

So, I finished the 9.2 miles in approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. And, for the first time since starting this, I feel like I might actually be prepared to complete the More/Fitness Magazine Half Marathon in 3 weeks.

I have noticed that I am needing to walk less and less each time I go out there.  I am feeling like my legs are getting stronger, and my breathing is getting better. There are still times when I need to stop and walk through the cramps that pop up, but those seem to be subsiding faster as well.

Two months ago, I was feeling continuously defeated. I felt like there was no way I could get any better and that I would be plagued with the inability to run for the rest of my life. But, the more I try, the more I get out there and do it, the easier it becomes. Is running easy to me? Ha, not by a long shot. Yet, it's easier than it was. And that is what matters, right?

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, I am scheduled to run the longest run I have ever attempted. Also, I will be attempting to take energy gels for the first time.

I have seen so many runners choking down these things while running in the park. It should be interesting to see how well I do with them.

2012 Gridiron Classic - 4 Miles

Last Sunday, I participated in my very first, real life, running race. Okay, so I wouldn't really call this a "race" because I had no intention of actually beating anyone across the finish line, I simply wanted to finish the race without injury or death. (Also with a fairly decent time, I have been trying, you know!)

I joined the New York Road Runners association back in December in hopes to participate in several races throughout the year and automatically qualify for the 2013 NYC Marathon.  So when I signed up, I also registered for the Gridiron Classic (Note: It is pronounced "Grid Iron" - when Craig said it out loud it was shocking because I had been trying to pronounce it as "Grid-ree-on") It was a Super Bowl themed race (complete with a longest football toss competition!) where the general premise was to support your chosen team by wearing a jersey, tshirt, etc. from your team and also splitting the racers into two separate lanes representing the two teams. Sort of a ''running vote", I guess.  Being one who doesn't really care about football (or passionate about sports in general) I just wore my regular running clothes. Confession: even if I did have a jersey or tshirt, I probably wouldn't have worn it. I was way too nervous about the actual race and I probably would have equated non-running clothes as a 'distraction'. Yeah, I'm real weird.

Anyway, the race began at 9:00am with the football throw starting around 8:00. So what did I do? I made Craig get up and head to the park with me at 7:45am. It was a chilly frigid morning, so I had to have the full gear - jacket, leggings, etc.  What I didn't have? GLOVES! Since November, I've run outside several times and I've never worn gloves or a hat or ear coverings. (While we're on the subject, I haven't worn a pair of gloves this entire winter. Wut?)  So, I figured that the run that day wouldn't need them as well.  I WAS WRONG. It was FREEZING out there.

Because of my corral number 7929 - *Hint: they went up to 8000* I was put in the last adult corral. There was a corral of kids behind me. Kids. Nice. Craig was one ahead of me so we spent as much time together as possible before having to separate into our corrals. He did his best to calm my nerves, but I knew that it wouldn't be an easy run. Stupidly, our schedule allowed for no time for running the entire week before the race! Running cold turkey and being a cold chick was not a good combination.  Craig did give me a "little hottie" to help me stay warm, but It didn't really do any good. I pulled my hands inside my jacket sleeves.

Current NYRR members told me that my first race will be fun! That I should really take note of what was happening around me and enjoy it! Honestly, I was so nervous and so cold that I hardly noticed anything "fun" about the beginning. Some thoughts at the time: A girl next to me talking on the phone? A woman beside me blowing her nose into her Burberry running jacket... who does that to a Burberry jacket?? Who even has a Burberry running jacket?? Why am I standing next to people who are in the green group? Why is it so frakin' cold?? Can I see Craig? Oh, we're moving forward a bit. Is my nose running? Why are people running now? We're not at the starting line yet!! Alright, I'll pick it up to a jog... and then I was off.

I had to be very careful about starting, I knew that - I have a big problem with going way too fast and too hard in the beginning of a run and two miles later, I literally could fall down and die. So, in my head I was saying "slow and steady... you've got 4 miles ahead of you, slow and steady."

When I saw the first mile marker up ahead I gave myself a little pat on the back. 1 Mile! Without stopping once! And up Cat Hill! Woo hoo!  Remember when I couldn't run a mile? I do. Shortly after the 1 mile mark, a water station came up. A 4 mile race doesn't really need water, but I decided to take a cup anyway. I was running a race! That's what race people do! So I jogged alongside the table, grabbed a glass, then put it to my lips to take a sip. And now a real question: How do people drink out of cups while running?? I was already numb all over and proceeded to pour cold water all down my chest. Way to go, VA, way to go.

At one point, I had to walk a bit up a large hill (I realized that my large walking steps might get me up the hill faster than my tiny running steps - hello, ass burn!) but for the most part, I ran the whole way! After passing the 3 mile marker, I knew that the finish line wasn't that much further away. I had run this route before. It was mostly downhill, people were yelling and clapping, telling me I was doing great... yet it felt like torture. Every step came with a mental pep-talk. I knew how upset I would be with myself if I stopped just before finishing. So, I kept going. I spotted Craig in the crowd and noticed he was scanning the runners for me. I gave a shout and he ran outside the barricade with me. And then, I was done! Done done DONE!

Here are my official results. Yes, it appears that I run a 12 minute mile. When I saw that, I'll admit I was a little disappointed. A whopping 344 people finished behind me. But you know what? 3 months ago, I cried when trying to run a mile. It may have taken me 49 minutes to finish, a whole 40 minutes longer than the winner of the race, but I finished. And now, I have something to work from. My first race, I ran an average pace of 12:23. And the next race? I'll beat it. And then I'll beat that one. And the next.

In fact, I signed up for a second race (4 miles) for the 25th of this month. And, it will be better.

The final picture of the day: Craig and myself after the race finished. (Note: They give you bagels and fruit after the race. I would have run it again if they offered veggie cream cheese with it! - oops, that's the fattie in me talking.. but seriously, that was the best plain-plain bagel I've ever had.)  A special thanks to NYRR and all of the volunteers at the Gridiron Classic - especially you, Mile 3 Lady who said "you are amazing!" Because, sometimes, you have to stop and think about how amazing you are. I may not be the best, and hey, I may have come so close to last it's laughable, but I ran 4 miles that day. And for me, that is amazing.

NYC HALF

WHAT???

Alright, so we all know that I am a little bit insane.. and part of that insanity comes out with me thinking that I would actually be able to run a half marathon in March.  Yet, I have registered for the race and will find out before 2012 if I will be running 13.1 miles in just under 12 weeks.  Maybe it's exactly what I need to push myself to get to a-run-ning! (and to stop eating everything I see...)  NO CLUE. Though, it's terrifying.  The longest I have run since starting this thing (I'll be more specific when I have more time to write) is 4 miles. And, not in a continuous fashion (damn cramps) either. So is it possible to get to that point in such a short time?  I guess we'll see (and I might not even get in, so whatever!)

This quick update brought to you by: Ferrero Rocher (because there's a whole box of them sitting on my desk to share with the office, and they keep ending up in my mouth! Sneaky bastards...)

You are amazing!

I screamed and clapped and called out every name I could spot. It is my hope that someday, some stranger will do the same to me.

I spent most of the day at that same 24 mile banner cheering on the runners as they came around the bend. "How much longer until 24?" some of them called out. "Just around the bend!" we would yell back - the finish was so close they could taste it.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not I am the type to run a marathon. Today, I realized that there is no type of person that runs a marathon. Today's marathoners were tall, short, skinny, fat, young, and old. There were people of all different nationalities, people that had traveled far from home and people who walked to the start from their homes. Anyone CAN be a marathoner, but not everyone IS a marathoner. I think that is what inspires me most.

Marathon Training: Day 1

Did I tell you I'm running a marathon? No? Oh, well, add me to the list of stupid idiots that think running 26.2 miles in one morning is a good decision.

So, I'm running a marathon sometime in 2012. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk about day one.

The New York City ING Marathon will begin tomorrow morning. The city is in a full marathon mode, barricades are set up, the path is properly labeled with banners and flags, signs are in store windows, congratulating tomorrow's runners. So what better time to start the training for MY marathon than today? The ultimate goal is to run the NYC marathon in exactly one year. (Note: it can be really difficult to get in to run the NYC marathon, which is a crazy idea if you think about it - it is HARD to gain access to run 26.2 miles. So Philly or DC may have to take NYC's place if I can't get in.)

This morning, Craig and I went to Central Park to run around the Jackie O. Reservoir.  The 1.6 mile loop would be a perfect start to our running "careers". We would go around twice, just over 3 miles. I take a spin class several times a week, do weekly cardio classes, yoga, swim, pilates, certainly running 3 miles wouldn't be a bad place to start. We walked over, arms crossed against the chilly wind, excited to begin this journey. At the reservoir, we noticed the marathon flags. "They'll run down this road tomorrow," Craig said, and I thought about how I might run down that road in one year. I was excited.

We started running at a steady pace together and I was feeling good. The leaves were beautiful in the park and the water glistened in the sunlight. And then it hit me: a cramp. Already! We stopped and walked for a bit, the cramp subsided and so we picked it back up again. I was surprised that running didn't hurt my knees or my hips, and I didn't even feel a burn in my muscles! At the mile point, my hand found my abdomen again as the cramp swelled back up. Suddenly, the other side cramped up as well. Breathing in started to feel like knives being jammed into my ribcage and I slowed to a walk again. Craig ran ahead and I walked with my hands rubbing the knots in my stomach. At one point, a man walking with his new-to-two-legs child passed me. I caught up with Craig and he could see it on my face. "What's wrong?" he said. "I can't do this," I lamented back, "Why can't I do this?"

And there it happened. I cried. I cried with over half a mile to go before I got back to the starting point. The point where I intended to start a second lap. I cried from the pain of the cramps and the headache I started to feel. I cried for the second lap I knew I could never complete. I cried from the disappointment I felt in myself. Craig walked with me a bit and eventually the cramping subsided, along with the tears. At the bend in the path, I decided that I would push myself, push past the pain and the disappointment and complete the last half a mile to the starting point.  So we did. We ran together through the last bit of the reservoir loop.

At the end of the loop, we made our way out of the park. Crossing the street, the 24 Mile banner hung over the road. 2.6 miles past that point was the NYC Marathon finish line. And I couldn't even make it 1.6 miles around the reservoir.

Let's just say, there is work to be done.