Category Archives: Running

Running Up Against the Heat

Posted on June 21, 2010 | 4 comments

How is it Monday already? Seriously the weekends are non-existent lately. Our weekend was pretty busy with visiting friends and a race. I’ve been such a terrible picture-taker lately. I am going to make a concerted effort to be better about that this week.

So I have to just take a quick poll and ask how many people out there are True Blood fans?

I wasn’t all that excited about the first episode last week, but I thought this week’s was soo much better!! I wanted to watch it again right after.

I digress – I just really love that show. Anyway – as I mentioned in my last post, my race on Sunday was not very good. The humidity was ridiculous and people around me were even commenting as we were running that it was really difficult. I would have joined in the convo, but I was already working hard enough to just breathe. I suspect that I wasn’t the only one who had a less than spectacular race yesterday.

This led me to thinking about running this summer and what my biggest issues are, and what other people’s issues might be and how they cope.  Here is my list of summer running do’s and don’ts.

Do

  • Hydrate like crazy! I don’t think I hydrated nearly enough the day before Sunday’s race. I think the day-before hydration is almost as important as the day-of hydration.
  • Run early. I wondered why Sunday’s run was at 8:30 a.m., which is actually later than most NYRR races start. They typically start at 8:00 a.m. I would have been happy with a 7:00 a.m. start to be honest. I plan to do a longish run this coming Saturday and will be out there running by 7:00 a.m. or earlier.
  • Let it breathe. I wore a hat during the race. Probably not the best bet. I was primarily thinking about shading my face, but I think that hat kept a lot of my heat in. A visor would have been the better option. Along the same lines – breathable clothing with wicking technology is the smartest option for those summer runs.
  • Find some shade. This one is tough. My running routes in NYC are limited. But if I know the sun is going to be blazing – I’ll opt to run in Central Park where there is infinitely more shade than along the East River Promenade. So if you have a particularly shady route to run during those sunny summer days, I say choose that route.

Don’t

  • Underestimate your hydration needs. I’d say it’s better to carry more water than less during these hot summer days. Yes, carrying a water bottle or strapping on a water belt makes your run more cumbersome, but you’ll be happy when your mouth starts feeling like the Sahara and a water fountain is nowhere in sight. Plus, you can’t always count on water fountains to be working. Having control of your hydration will ultimately pay off in the end.
  • Force it. If you’re late, rethink running. So I know we’re all pretty adamant about getting a run in. But if you can’t get out the door in the early morning, I think it’s smart to rethink your run for that day. I can tell you first-hand that running from 11:00 a.m. to about 4:00 p.m. can be downright unbearable when the temps and humidity are high. I’ve cut runs shorts and felt miserable after runs done too late in the day. They take so much out of you and really end up frustrating you sometimes.
  • Forget the sunscreen! I’m bad at this one sometimes. For my marathon in May, I applied sunscreen diligently on my face, but then completely forgot about my arms and legs. The result was a pretty bad burn on my shoulders. Be liberal in your application and apply it early so it has time to sink into your skin.

So those are just some of the things I’ve been thinking about recently with the increasingly warm weather. What summer running tips do you have to offer?

I’m really going to try to go to bed earlier so I can get some early morning pre-work runs in throughout this summer. Today it’s supposed to be 88 degrees outside and the thought of a post-work run in that sounds just awful.

Have a good Monday all and stay cool!

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Father’s Day 5-Mile Prostate Cancer Race Recap

Posted on June 20, 2010 | 4 comments

Good afternoon all – happy Sunday and Happy Father’s Day! Love you Daddy!

How is your father’s day going? Mine started bright and early this morning with a race in Central Park – The Father’s Day Prostate Cancer 5-mile Run. The last time I ran a 5-mile race was in early January and the race conditioners were 100% different than today. The race started at 8:30 a.m. and in all honesty, I wish it had started a lot earlier. The heat and humidity were intolerable! Here was my race-day appearance.


It was already 80 degrees by the time I headed out of the house. I jogged to the start, hit the porta-potty and found my corral. As I stood in the corral waiting for the start, I began to think that this wasn’t going to be my best race. And I was right.

The race began and already I felt like I was struggling. We headed north along the West Drive and man did that first mile take forever. I kept checking my Garmin and being amazed by how little I had run. We hit the first mile marker and I managed to pick it up a bit from mile 1 to mile 2, but it hurt.

I struggled up all the hills and my breathing was a lot more labored than usual. Plus, choosing to wear a hat to shield my eyes also ended up making me hotter, I think. As we reached the third mile marker I hit up the fluid station for a much-needed guzzle of water.

From mile three to mile four I struggled again and watched the mileage slowly tick by on my watch. Finally we hit mile four and I knew there was only one to go, but man was I feeling it. The heat, the humidity, the crowd – it was all taking its toll.

Finally I spotted the finish area up ahead, but it was really a struggle to get to the end. I did not kick it in like usual – I basically threw myself over the finish in pure exhaustion. Here are my stats:

Mile 1 – 7:59
Mile 2 – 7:40
Mile 3 – 8:07
Mile 4 – 7:59
Mile 5 – 7:58

Total mileage: 5.06 miles in 40:12

So technically, this was a PR for me at this distance, but I ran the 10k in April much, much faster – so I’m not totally satisfied with these results. However, I have no one to blame by myself. Since the Pocono Marathon in May, I’ve enjoyed quite a running hiatus, so I am not in great shape right now. I’ve got some major work to do before the Boilermaker 15k in July.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

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A Running Rut

Posted on June 16, 2010 | 12 comments

Good morning all! I’m back and a little less stressed finally. The big meeting on Monday went very well. And then yesterday was a busy day full of follow-up stuff related to it.

But I did get out for a run last night, although it was kind of pathetic. I only ran 3.5 miles and not at a very fast pace. I pretty much feel like I am starting at square one with training for the Boilermaker on July 11th. Plus, I’m signed up for a 5-mile run this Sunday and I have a feeling it’s going to be tough for me.

What I thought might help inspire me and get me back into running mode a bit was to review some of my marathon training runs I did from Jan – April.

January

February

March

April

May

So I know that totally just bored you, but it was a good exercise for me. We all have ups and downs with running. It really helps me to see the progression of my training, see that it wasn’t perfect, that I had some tough spots and recognize that this little struggle I’m having right now will also pass.

I’m a runner and I think I’ll always be a runner, but I need to understand that I’m not always going to be the most motivated runner or always have awesome runs. I may go through ups and downs, but that’s okay.

So – I’m taking my latest stinky runs in stride (no pun intended) and am going to run however I feel comfortable and not worry too much about measuring myself against my previous times or feelings, or other people.

Do you ever get in running ruts? How do you deal?

Ok – moving on! There seems to a consistent color scheme to my foods lately.  This weekend I had some delicious fruit – kiwi and apricot.

And then for dinner last night, I made this:

Do you see the green and orange them? A little weird.

This recipe was simple – brown rice cooked in water and chicken broth. Chicken with cooked veggies, including corn, peas and carrots. Then I sprinkled some shredded cheddar cheese into the pan and cooked it all together a little while longer to make it creamy. One of my favorite easy recipes!

I think I’m taking tonight off from running, especially since rain appear imminent. And I promise that a book review for Cutting for Stone is coming – I swear!!

Have a good hump day all!

12 Comments

Posted in Recipes, Running, Uncategorized

First Post Marathon Run!

Posted on June 9, 2010 | 16 comments

Well all, I finally did it! I ran my first post-marathon run last night after work. The weather was perfect – about 70 degrees and sunny. I set out just after I got home  and my overall feeling is: I should not have taken a complete 100% break from exercise for 3 weeks. :-/ Duh, right?

My initial reaction when I first started running was – Wow this feels so great! And in truth, the entire run felt really great overall, but I can tell that I’ve lost some of my cardiovascular strength and endurance and maybe a little speed. I think a break from running was definitely needed for me, but I wish I had been doing some other cardio exercises, such as using the eliptical or biking.

My next race is the 15k Boilermaker in Utica, NY on July11th and I feel like I have some training to do. Anyway – here are my stats from my run:

Mile 1 – 8:14
Mile 2 – 8:14
Mile 3 – 8:34
Mile 4 – 8:28
.5 – 4:12

Total mileage – 4.5 miles in 37:44. Average pace – 8:22 minute mile.

So it wasn’t terrible, but I definitely felt like I was working, whereas before the marathon, those split times might have felt pretty comfortable. And my toe felt completely fine!! YAYA!

I am considering running the Women’s mini 10K this Saturday in Central Park, and possibly the 5 mile NYRR races the next two weekends, but I haven’t completely decided yet. I think racing a bit would help me increase my speed for the Boilermaker – my goal time is under 1:17:00!!

In other good news – I was selected to participate in my work’s Leadership Development Program!! Only 16 people from the entire company (over 1,900 employees) are picked each year to participate in this 5 month program. The America Management Association comes in and hosts 2-day classes once a month for 4 months, we do assessments, and get career coaching and guidance. The official announcement went out yesterday and I’m so excited!

It’s nice to be selected for something like this, especially after I’ve poured so much into some of my recent projects.

I’m skipping my meal recaps for the past two days. They weren’t all that exciting. Except for perhaps the use of this on my English muffin the other morning:

Mmm I love PB&Co.’s peanut butters, but I was reluctant to try this one. Something about the cinnamon with the peanut butter sounded less than appealing to me. But my mom had this PB at her house and I was kind of forced to try it a few months ago and fell in love. So she gave me a jar as a gift the last time I stopped home. Thanks Momma! I also think I need to make a trip to their sandwich shop in NYC – located in Greenwich Village. 🙂 Which may just be the mecca for PB lovers like myself. Plus I like that this PB is all natural and the company uses “packaging and sales materials are 100% recyclable, and start with recycled materials whenever possible.”

P.S. – I’ve also decided to run The Sun Half Marathon, that is in conjunction with the Bay State Marathon that my friend Lauren is running in October. If you remember – she is trying to qualify for Boston so we can run it together next April. The half marathoners start with the marathoners and run with them for about 3 miles, so I’ll get to help her start and find a good pace to ensure she gets that BQ!! Anyone else running that marathon or half marathon? It’s supposed to be a pretty flat and fast course for anyone out there trying to BQ!

What races do you have lined up for the summer and fall?!

16 Comments

Posted in NYRR, Races, Running, Uncategorized

Feels Like Summer

Posted on June 2, 2010 | 5 comments

Good morning all – it’s hot and sticky in NYC today! We seriously did not have a spring – we went from winter to summer. The hot weather is making my breakfast decisions a little tougher. I’m really not in the mood for oatmeal these days. I might have to give overnight oats another try.

Yesterday for breakfast I resorted to an English muffin with peanut butter and banana on one half and apricot jelly on the other.

What are your favorite summer/hot weather breakfasts? I need some new ideas!

Last week I had just a grapefruit one morning and it did not keep me full. I loved the cool freshness of it as a breakfast, but I have to worry about it keeping me sustained as well – which is did not.

For lunch yesterday I grabbed a salad and I snacked on a granola bar and Chobani yogurt during the day. Boring – so no pics.

Dinner had to be quick and easy because Hubby and I were heading to the Yankees game. I made a sandwich on an Arnold Thin with roasted chicken breast, mustard and american cheese. And of course, a side of pickles. Yum!

After our quick dinner, Hubby and I headed to the game – well I hobbled to the game really. My co-worker, who happens to be accident prone on a regular basis and broke her toe before (along with many other bones), swears that she thinks my toe is broken. I disagree – I think it’s just a bad sprain. But it’s already feeling soo much better today. I was actually shocked this morning by how great it felt.

Once we got to the game, I was tempted by the greasy sights and smells and convinced Hubby to share some french fries with me. Here we are at the game:

The game

We thoroughly enjoyed our $8 container of fries – it’s soo ridiculously expensive there. I also bought at diet pepsi and it was $5!! I really didn’t want to give in to the temptation, but fries are a weakness.

I also had an idea yesterday. I’m considering running The Sun Half Marathon that is run in conjunction with the Bay State Marathon on October 17. My friend and running buddy Lauren is running the marathon with hopes of qualifying for Boston (yay send her best wishes!) and I was thinking it might be fun to run the Half Marathon and then cheer her on.

Has anyone out there run that marathon or half marathon? Thoughts, feedback on it?

I’m not planning to run a marathon in the fall because we’re going to Ireland from the end of Aug – early September and it would be smack in the middle of training, but I’m thinking I should keep running as many short-middle races as I can. I’m in such a marathon-train mode at this point that I think it will be strange to not be training for one during the summer.

What races are on your calendar? Any really fun ones we should all know about?

I’ll say it again – if you haven’t run The Boilermaker yet – you should!! It’s so much fun. The whole town comes out, bands, animals from the zoo and then a huge party at the end with free beer. Great time!

Alright all – have a great Wednesday! I’m so happy it’s already mid-week! 🙂

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How I Got My BQ

Posted on May 24, 2010 | 17 comments

Sorry for being completely MIA this weekend and not posting my comparisons between my first and second marathon. I was totally hit out of nowhere with either a bad stomach bug or a slight case of food poisoning. I was completely out of commission starting Saturday afternoon through today. Hence there won’t be any food pics, since I barely ate anything this weekend. Ugh!

But what I can do is finally give my comparison between how I trained for my first marathon vs. my second marathon in order to obtain the coveted BQ. So here are the main areas where I changed things up a bit and I think it helped: 

Work on Speed: For my first marathon, I didn’t really focus on speedwork at all. I was solely concentrated on logging the necessary mileage. For the Pocono Marathon,  I started incorporating some speedwork into my shorter runs. It wasn’t as formal as other runners, but I would consciously push my speed during certain runs and see if I could run the next mile at a fast pace or I’d pick landmarks and do short bursts of speed. I think I probably could have gotten a bigger benefit out of going a more formal route – running 400’s, 800’s, etc. at a specific pace. But I wanted to ease into speed a bit.

Get a Garmin: For my first marathon I trained using a regular sports watch and mapped out all my long runs on mapmyrun.com. I could guestimate what my average pace was based on the total time it took me to run it and the distance, but I never knew how my speed was broken down. I received a Garmin for Christmas last year and definitely put it to good use during my training for the Pocono Marathon. I was surprised to see how fast I was actually running sometimes. I think using my Garmin gave me better control over my speed and my pace. It helped me learn how to really kick it in at the end of races as well. I know Garmins are expensive and sometimes people think runners become too attached to them. But I think if you are trying to BQ they are almost a must.  

Increase Your Mileage: For my first marathon, I based my training plan off of Hal Higdon’s Novice plan. At the end of it all, I had run 383 miles in training (including the marathon). I was running 4 days a week. For my second marathon, I upped it to 5 days a week and increased my total mileage to 540 total miles (including the marathon). I based my second marathon training plan on Hal Higdon’s Intermediate I Training Plan. I did not stick to Hal’s plan exactly – I moved some of my running days around a bit. But I think that increasing my mileage that much really helped me. Others may not need to run that much or run 5 days a week, but I needed to train my body to run harder more often.

Choose Better Food/Fuel: I didn’t really pay too much attention to what I ate while I trained for my first marathon. I started my blog last October and started training for the Pocono Marathon in January 2010. At that point, my focus on healthy eating and my plan for better eating during this training was pretty solid. I ate soo much healthier this time around. I incorporated new grains like barley, couscous and quinoa into my diet, and upped my intake of fresh fruits and veggies. I made the switch from light Yoplait yogurt to Greek yogurt (generally Chobani) and found that my foods were keeping me full longer. I fully admit that I ate whatever I wanted during the first training – candy, desserts, junk food – all that. I thought that because I was burning so many calories, I was entitled to eat as much of everything I wanted. Wrong! And this leads to my next point.  

Find the Right Weight: I weighed between 113-114 pounds during my first marathon. I weighed about 108-109 pounds for my second. I know this doesn’t sound like a big difference, but I’m 5’1 and have a petite frame, so an extra 5 pounds on me does make quite a difference. I actually gained weight while training for my first marathon. I chalked it up to “gaining muscle” and it’s probably true that I did. But I also think I gained a little more weight than was necessary for me. Going into training for the second marathon, I had lost a little bit of the weight from the first marathon. But as I started training for the second AND continued to eat right, the rest of it just kind of melted off. I wasn’t trying to lose weight – but I think it came off naturally because 108-109 is actually around the ideal running weight for me.

Use Races: I kind of went through a racing slump for a few years. I would run 1-2 races each year, but that was it. As I began training for this second marathon, I decided that I needed to incorporate some more races into my plan to get myself used to maintaining a race pace. If you check out my Race History page, you can see exactly what I races I ran from January – May.  I ran five races of varying lengths – ranging from 5 miles to a half marathon. I actually made some of these race days my long run days. So I would run the race and then tack on some additional mileage to reach my long run day total. This worked out great for most runs – but my last long run was pretty torturous.

Run Hills: Ahh the dreaded hills. Knowing that my second marathon might be a bit hilly, I tried to incorporate hills into every run I could. Central Park has some pretty decent hills, but when I would run from my parent’s house in Upstate NY, I would add some really terrifying hills to my routes. My parents and friends would ask me why I was torturing myself by adding all these hills and my answer was: to be overly prepared. Plus, the general benefits of hill training have been touted everywhere!  Training on hills improves leg-muscle strength, quickens your stride, develops your cardiovascular system and can even protect your leg muscles against soreness. Basically, it can help make you a stronger, faster and healthier runner. You know the saying – what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger!

Set the Goal: As scary as it may seem, I think it’s important to set your BQ goal and tell people about it. Recognizing that your goal for this race is different will help you get into the right mindset. My goal for my first marathon was simply to just finish! A goal like that puts you in a different frame of mind than knowing you’re trying to qualify for Boston. Setting a specific time goal can be scary, but it also keeps you well-grounded during the race. Plus, once you’ve said that goal outloud or shared it with…umm the entire blog world – it makes you push that much harder to achieve your goal. I can honestly say that I thought about all the people who commented on my blog and gave me great BQ advice. I didn’t want to let you guys down after you’d listened to me drone on and on about wanting a BQ! I wanted to make you all proud! 

And lastly – believe you can do it!! Visualize yourself running that perfect race and finishing in the time you want. There is no better motivation than knowing you’ve put in the training and hard work that is necessary to obtain your BQ. And although the actual race may be far from perfect (mine certainly was), it will be that belief in yourself that will ultimately take you to the finish.

If you haven’t read my second marathon Race Recap, feel free to check it out – that can give some insight into what a non-perfect race can feel like. And thanks again to all who gave me advice on how to achieve my BQ.

What was the best BQ advice anyone ever gave you?!

Now I’ve got to rehydrate and get 100% better so I can do my first post-race run! I’m starting to go through withdrawal. Have a great Monday all.

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Post-Marathon Slump and Shrimp

Posted on May 19, 2010 | 11 comments

Hi all – I’m back! I took a little blog break yesterday. I think just writing my Poconos Marathon Recap post took a lot out of me. Seriously, I’m still on a high and can’t believe I actually qualified for Boston.

I know there has been debate and discussion on other blogs about whether the women’s qualifying times are too easy, and let me just tell you that for me, I did not think getting that time was easy. I’m not an awesome runner, so maybe that does say something. Maybe I shouldn’t even have been able to qualify at all – maybe it means the time is too lenient. But let’s just say that I’m happy I qualified at this time before there is any chance they make the times tougher! Tough enough for me already!

I haven’t been taking too many photos lately, but I did document two new meals I made earlier this week that I loved!

On Monday on my day off, I got a much-needed haircut and met Hubby for a lovely lunch outside at a local cafe/bar. While we lunched, I decided that I wanted to make something different for dinner. For some reason shrimp was stuck in my head. I figured why fight it? So I stopped on the way home and picked up some frozen shrimp. I was in the mood for different, but I still wanted easy. 🙂

For dinner on Monday night I made a yummy shrimp stir-fry.

Frozen shrimp (thawed), carrots, green peppers, orange peppers, broccoli and long grain wild rice. For the stir-fry sauce, I used organic Soy Sauce, chicken stock, and a bit of Worcestershire sauce. Totally yum!

And then dessert followed:

Then Tuesday for dinner I had to use up the left-over shrimp, so I came up with this little concoction:

Shrimp and spinach sautéed and then covered with a light sauce made from white wine, lemon juice, chicken broth, garlic powder and onion powder. I placed it on a bed of spaghetti and topped it with a little Parmesan cheese. I thought this one was delicious!

All in all, I was very pleased with my shrimp creations and I think I’ll make shrimp dinners a lot more in the future. Maybe I’ll upgrade to fresh shrimp, if/when I feel more confident.

Post-Marathon Slump

So my big post-marathon confession: I haven’t run at all yet. I really just haven’t been in the mood. It probably would have helped with my recovery to loosen things up, but I was just not motivated. Plus, the yucky rainy weather hasn’t exactly been inspiring. And I haven’t been eating too great either. There may have been a bag of Hint of Lime Tostitoes that was devoured in 2 days (but Hubby did help with that).

I think it’s just my post-marathon little slump. I’m trying to get back on track today with eating. I’m meeting my friend Katie for dinner tonight and we’re going to try out Angelica Kitchen, which has been on my list to try forever. But I’m not going to put a deadline on my first post-marathon run. I’ll do it when I feel ready.

As far as how I felt after this marathon – a little bit more sore than after my first marathon. I probably didn’t stretch quite as well though, since we wanted to hop in the car and head home very soon after the race. I did wake up on Monday night at 1:00 a.m. and rolled my legs with my Marathon Stick. They felt so tight and achy, but after a few minutes of rolling they felt 10 times better. Walking down stairs hurt a bit on Monday and Tuesday, but today everything feels almost 100% back to normal.

If you’re a marathoner – do you encounter anything like my post-marathon slump? I’m not lazy by nature, but I just feel like such a schlub right now. How long do you rest after a marathon?

Anyway – thanks again all for the congrats about qualifying! I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support, encouragement, advice and words of wisdom! Have a great hump day!

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Pocono Run for the Red Marathon Recap

Posted on May 17, 2010 | 42 comments

Happy Monday – I have the day off today! And boy do I need it after the race yesterday. I am extremely happy that I qualified for the Boston Marathon, but it was not an easy race by any means.

Saturday

We headed up to the host hotel on Saturday afternoon and got in around 3:00. We checked in and then hit up the expo to pick up my racing bib, etc. The expo was small, but it was helpful. One of the race coordinators was giving an in-depth overview of the course and what we could expect the next day. He reiterated what I’d already read online – the course has a lot of downhill in the beginning, so remember to pace yourself. He also briefed us on a few uphills on the second part of the course, which I was dreading.

After the expo we went to a local outlet we passed as we arrived for a bit and then stopped at CVS for water, gatorade, snacks and contact solution stuff I forgot. Once we got back to the hotel it was just about time for dinner. We spent a few minutes enjoying the view from our balcony. It was a gorgeous setting. There was actually a wedding happening at the host hotel that night as well, so we watched as the bridal party took some photos.

Gorgeous view…

The pasta party started at 5:30 p.m. and was what was to be expected: salad, bread, penne pasta and spaghetti sauce, as well as dessert. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was free for me and only $7 for Hubby, so understandably generic. We piled our plates and settled at a table. A few minutes later a brother and sister running pair joined our table and we started talking BQ-plans and dreams. We strategized, talked about our previous marathons and then wished each other good luck a little while later as we all headed to our rooms to try to get some sleep.

I laid out all my gear the night before, as well as my morning food and drinks. Around 9:00 p.m. I headed to bed. Hubby decided to head down to the hotel bar to give me some time to get to sleep and to have a few brews to help him get to sleep. After he left, I proceeded to lay in bed wide awake. I’ve never experienced such nerves or had such a hard time sleeping before a race – even my first marathon! I tried counting, I tried switching positions, covers on and covers off, but nothing worked. When Hubby got back to our room at midnight I was wide awake and told him so. He proceeded to hop into bed and fall asleep within 10 minutes. I tossed and turned and think I may have finally dozed off around 12:45 – 1:00 a.m. Not good!

Sunday – Race Day

I woke up Sunday morning exactly one minute before my alarm was set to go off. Anxious much?! I got up and started my pre-race routine. I don’t particularly enjoy getting ready for a race in a hotel room. I’m not usually comfortable or feeling my normal self, and especially not after such little sleep.

At 6:30 a.m. I headed downstairs to wait for the bus to the start. I ran into the brother and sister team from the night before and they shared with me their get-sleep tip: they split a Benadryl pill and slept soundly. Genius! Mental note to give that one a try if I face sleep issues again. We all hopped on the bus and began to head to the start when Louie (the brother) realized he didn’t have his timing chip! As he ran off the bus, two other girls realized they didn’t have theirs either and they went sprinting to find them. So after a slightly delayed start we were off.

We got to the Clear Run Elementary School and I headed straight to the bathroom. Then I grabbed a race-provided trash bag to put my long-sleeved shirt in for transport to the finish. Finally,  I hit the ladies room one more time before heading outside. The temps were a little chilly for standing still, but perfect for running. We all lined up at the start and I could kind of hear the National Anthem and then all of a sudden we were off!

From the course overview the previous day, I knew the race wasn’t completely downhill from the start. From about mile 1 – 8 we ran through rolling minor hills. Around mile 4 there was a loop where the leading runners ran by. Then we moved up a slight hill. I was moving at a pretty good clip, but was nervous to hold back too much. I knew this wasn’t the “downhill” section by any means, so I tried to maintain a comfortable pace that was still pretty strong.

Mile 1 – 7:53
Mile 2 – 7:55
Mile 3 – 7:49
Mile 4 – 8:03
Mile 5 – 8:05
Mile 6 – 7:56
Mile 7 – 8:02
Mile 8 – 8:09

Starting at mile 4 or so, I took water or Gatorade at every stop, which was just about every two miles. As we hit mile 8, one of the spectators or course managers said: “Ok guys, it’s downhill from here for a while. Just settle in and cruise.”

And then the downhill began and this guy was not kidding. It was all down hill for quite a few miles. I tried to use it as much as possible, but kept telling myself to “use it, but don’t lose it.” I didn’t want to go crazy and really kill my legs on the downhill by just letting completely loose. From after mile 8 – 13 we went all downhill all the time.

Mile 9 – 7:44
Mile 10 – 8:02
Mile 11 – 8:09
Mile 12 – 8:04
Mile 13 – 8:06

My pace for mile 9 was a little too fast, so I decided to scale back a bit. I also took a Gu between mile 11 and 12. When I crossed the halfway mark I was pretty floored to see that my half marathon time was a PR! The clock said around 1:45:30 I think. This made me a little nervous – I knew I was going really fast.

A few minutes later I was very glad I took that Gu because miles 14 and 15 were rolling hills and my pace slowed a bit.

Mile 14 – 8:11
Mile 15 – 8:13

As I got past mile 15, my adrenaline began to pump because I knew that Hubby was likely going to be at mile 16. That was the only spot that I was able to give him directions for. My pace picked up and I started looking around as we neared the spectator spot.

I heard Hubby cheering me on before  I even saw him and started grinning like a fool. (me in the blue tank top)

And then I started waving…

Doesn’t the guy with the number 664 bib kind of look like an older Steve Carrell?

Sorry – sidetracked. Anyway – I saw Hubby and was all giddy and he told me he was on the phone with my best friend and she was cheering me on. YAY! I was so excited I sped up a bit. So I checked my Garmin…

Mile 16 – 8:00

I was feeling good, but that was short-lived. My next mile was my first taste of the dead legs that were to come.

Mile 17 – 8:28

And then there was a lovely and much-appreciated downhill.

Mile 18 – 7:47

But that little spurt was just a tease because then came the hills. They weren’t huge hills, but they were hills just the same and they were tough. I didn’t walk at all, but I was moving slower and I watched helplessly as my split times crept up.

Mile 19 – 8:56
Mile 20 – 8:43
Mile 21 – 9:00

And then after mile 21 things went bad pretty quickly. Call it the wall if you want, I called it the end. The end of my BQ hopes. As I watched my splits get slower I began to prepare myself for the fact that I probably wasn’t going to qualify. I was just moving too slow. There was no way. And then I told myself that this was probably good. I didn’t want to run another marathon anyway – I completely forgot how awful I feel after mile 21. This was a good reminder and was reinforcing the fact that I am not cut out for a BQ. I decided I just didn’t have it in me.

So after this little non-pep-talk, I decided that it would be good enough if I could just finish the race and try to finish without walking.  Although at the worst moments I wondered how bad it would really feel to not finish (I decided it would feel really bad), but thankfully I pushed on.

With my non-BQ pace acceptance, I struggled to just put one foot in front of the other. I decided once I got to mile 24, things wouldn’t be so bad.

Mile 22 – 9:25
Mile 23 – 9:29
Mile 24 – 9:32

As I hit mile 24 and saw that 9:32, I also looked at my pace band on my wrist and saw that I was actually a little bit ahead of the pace for a BQ. I didn’t quite understand how this could be, given my sluggish times, but I figured my surprising speed during the first half must have really built a cushion for me.

So this is when I decided that maybe, just maybe, I had a little something left in me. I started trying to push a little harder. As I’m working to build back up some speed, who do I spot and hear cheering for me just before mile 25? Hubby!! He was along Main Street cheering like crazy and I definitely needed it. I start to push a little harder.

Mile 25 – 9:04

I hit mile 25 and knew there was 0nly 1.2 miles left and that I can certainly finish, but if I maintained my speed, a BQ might still be in sight. I push on and on, for what feels like forever and finally I see a school up ahead. I know that this finish is around a school track. Pushing hard, I finally hit mile 26…

Mile 26 – 9:01

And then there is .2 to go. We had to run around the track and I could see the finish, but there was still more to go. Miraculously, my Garmin says I just hit 3:38 and there is a slim chance that I could sneak in under 3:40! I start sprinting – or at least try. It feels more like a slow-motion sprint, but I give it a shot nonetheless. I push and I push and I push and finally I cross the line:

3:39:35!! (official chip time)

I did it! I qualified for Boston. I cut things pretty close, but I finished under 3:40.

In all honesty, this is not how I pictured running this race or qualifying for Boston. I wanted a nice even 8:10-8:15 pace the entire way, but this marathon was not built like that, in my opinion. I think it’s inevitable that you will run this race much faster in the first half. This was a hard race – it was fast – but it was really hard. Compared to my first marathon, I think I gave more of myself and exerted a lot more energy.

I’m still shocked that I actually qualified based on my splits. I was fully prepared to accept that I wasn’t going to get my BQ. But I am beyond thrilled that I did it and that I’m heading to Boston next April. I hope to maybe even meet up with some of the amazing running bloggers I read regularly. And now I have to cheer on my best friend Lauren as she tries to get her BQ in October at the Bay State Marathon!!

Thank you to everyone who supported me, encouraged me and made me believe I could do it! And thanks again to my husband for coming to the Poconos with me and cheering me on. I did it!!!

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The Marathon Is Over…

Posted on May 16, 2010 | 18 comments

And I qualified!!! I cut this one pretty darn close. My Garmin says my finishing time was 3:39:36, and as I crossed the line, I think the clock said 3:39:50, so I know for sure that I definitely qualified – just not sure on my official time yet. The Website still does not have the marathon results posted. But qualifying is qualifying in my book, no matter how close you slice it!

Anyway – my full recap and details are coming tomorrow on my day off! That’s right, a well-deserved rest day for me! But I wanted to share my exciting news now. And I want to publicly thank my Hubby for being such a great supporter today. We were out in an area I didn’t know, where we didn’t know anyone and I was running all alone, so it was really wonderful to see him at both mile 16 and mile 25 (where I really needed some help). He was amazing – he was giving my parents and my best friend updates about my progress and keeping lots of people in the loop. Thanks Bill for the amazing support – LOVE YOU!!

Now I need to go shower!!

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Let the Carb-loading Commence

Posted on May 13, 2010 | 12 comments

It’s almost here. I can feel it. My body can feel it. My nerves are on fire and the marathon is on my mind. I can’t really get it out of my mind actually. I catch myself picturing my run at least a few times every day. And with that mental picture, my stomach drops!

I don’t know about other marathoners, but a marathon is really the only race I get nervous for anymore. Since my last marathon (October 2009), I’ve run quite a few races and felt relatively calm before almost all of them. I knew they weren’t THE RACE, the BIG race – they were just training for the real deal. I did end up racing and setting PRs in many of those races, but I never experienced the full-on nervousness. Oh the nerves.

So it’s Thursday and the race is only a few short days away. So it’s time to get serious. My birthday indulgence is done and I am on a strict carb-load, hydrate and eat-right plan. I fully support carb-loading 3-4 days before a marathon, and not gorging yourself on carbs the night before.

For all you marathoners out there – when do you start your carb-loading? And how do you prep the few days before?

So Wednesday truly began my carb-loading. I started off at breakfast with a big bowl of original Puffins and some blueberries on top.

Then for lunch, I heated up some leftover pasta with chicken from Monday night.

Afternoon snacks were Chobani with Kashi Heart to Heart cereal mixed in and three clementines.

After work, I headed to the gym for a quick run. It wasn’t exactly raining outside, but the skies looked ominous, so I played it safe. I ran 3 miles in 26:28 – a nice and easy pace. It was hard going that slow and I actually thought I felt tired, which made me even more nervous. I should not be tired after 3 miles – did I take my taper too far?!

I left the gym and headed home and threw together a quick dinner of baked tilapia with a large side of rice.

I have been seriously ravenous lately! And I’m not running a lot right now, so it feels a little weird. After dinner I was still hungry, so I ate a healthy dessert of strawberries and blueberries sprinkled with crushed puffins on top.

This hit the spot and I was FINALLY full. Again, I tried to go to bed early because I know that I likely won’t get too much sleep the night before the marathon, so I want to be as well rested during the week as possible.

And I had a strange dream about the marathon last night. My husband and I got there and he decided to help me warm up. We ended up getting lost and running like 11 miles before the race even started! There was road work going on and we had to take a detour and then we were sprinting to the start of the race and I was exhausted! Oh the stress.

How do you guys cope with nerves before a race?! Help!

Have a great Thursday all – I am trying to put the race out of my mind for the entire day….starting now!

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