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After winning 1st place in the female relay division last year, team Dietitian Divas got automatic entry into this year’s race and set out to defend our title. We all joked that our highly competitive spirit didn’t quite match up to our training (or relative lack thereof), but we gave it our all and managed to get a team PR of 2:29:19, 2 min and 40 sec faster than last year. Go team!
It was a very early morning. I forgot how painful it is to have to get to transition on west 72nd on the Hudson by 4:30 am and sit around (in the rain, this time) for 4 hours waiting for my teammates to do their parts before I have to spring into 10k mode.
Thankfully, the time went by fairly quickly, and the event was extremely well organized. Like last year, it was cool to be a part of such a different type of event and watch all the athletes, especially the pros. I can’t imagine doing the entire thing and have no desire to, so I’m glad I get the chance to participate as part of the relay. I loved the tri tats we got to put on this year – hand tats and MASSIVE arm tats. I felt badass – I wish we got these for marathons!
Here’s our team before the start, looking surprisingly awake at 5am:
Most of the time we shaved off was thanks to our swimmer, who was 3 minutes faster compared to last year, as well as our cyclist, who was nearly a minute faster! I’m so proud of them – they really pushed hard.
I was pumped to try to win again, but as I crossed 72nd street before mile 1, my legs were really feeling it. Not a good sign! I told myself that I would start pushing more later in the park to avoid blowing up, thrusting myself down the hills and really going for it after the halfway point. Picking off triathletes one by one gave me strength (I know, it’s not fair given I jumped in for the run, but it’s still exhilarating to pass so many people in such a short race). And when a one-armed guy flew past me at mile 5, that inspired me to push even harder. The finish was worse than I remembered – like a never ending maze that zig zagged all around the 72nd street transverse. I was so happy to hear the cheers of my teammates and friends near the finish to keep me going!
Unfortunately, I did not beat my time from last year – I was 1 min 24 sec slower, which is pretty spot on what I predicted to my team. I knew it wasn’t realistic to get a PR given that I’m in the middle of marathon training (and didn’t really taper) and am also slightly heavier than last year. I also had to stop to adjust my chip, which was too loose around my ankle at the start of the run, and we were about 10 sec slower during our transitions, so I guess it all adds up. I tried my best, and that’s what matters! Check out my Garmin details here.
When I found out that we missed 1st place by just 35 seconds, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat responsible for our second place finish despite our overall faster time given I was the only one that slowed down this year. But that’s okay – it was a faster field and we were extremely close to winning, so 2nd place certainly is something to celebrate! Perhaps more importantly, we beat the team that used to win every year until we beat them last year (they placed 2nd last year and 3rd this year), which made us happy (competitive much?!). I’m proud of our team for getting a PR and we were excited to once again get up on that podium. I know for me at least, it’s likely the only time I’ll ever be up on a major race stage receiving an award! It’s also a great feeling to be part of a team for once, in a sport that for me mostly involves racing solo.
We had the same commentator, you said the same thing as last year when we accepted our award: “Dietitian Divas – that’s so New York.” Um…okay!
We had tons of time to kill in between our finish and the awards ceremony, so we hit up the finish area booths before grabbing brunch. I’ve never gotten so much swag in my life! Check out all the Clif products I got. I swear, I didn’t rob a running store! They kept dumping things into my bag! I’m not a huge fan of recovery drinks, powders, protein bars etc (I prefer REAL food after a run), but I am experimenting with new gels and other products for the Marine Corps Marathon, and given how expensive they are, I was very grateful for these goodies to try.
Now that the triathlon is over, it’s back to marathon training (I’m about to enter my 5th week of training) and studying for the RD exam, which I started to do yesterday. I also have one more week left of my Community rotation – my last rotation of my Dietetic Internship at Montefiore. I can’t believe I’m nearly done – it’s been a tough year and I know I have many more challenges ahead, but finishing this internship and taking the RD exam (hopefully in early September) will be such a relief. I don’t think the internship will really feel over until I have my credentials and finally start working!
I’m looking forward to heading to CA later this month for a little break before the exam to see my family, relax, study a little, and mostly just escape NYC for the first time in over 7 months. I have my first 20 miler coming up, which I am grateful to be able to run along my favorite trails in Nisene Marks. I can’t wait to breathe in that fresh redwood air and run on my beautiful local beach. Visions of home will get me through this final stretch!
I love the Oakley Mini 10k – definitely one of my favorite NYRR races! This was my third time running it with one of my friends and I was excited to be back and experience once again everything the mini has to offer. However, I couldn’t help but feel a bit apprehensive last night when I picked up the following bib number on a very rainy Friday the 13th:
I mean, really NYRR? You couldn’t have skipped that number?! 🙂
Thankfully, despite my ominous number, I had a great race today. Was it fast? No. I came in at 47:08, which makes this year my slowest yet (compared to 46:47 last year, and 45:58 the year before…wait a minute, I don’t like this trend!). But it was my first all out racing effort in a loooong time – without ANY hamstring pain I should add – and it was super fun!
As I wrote in my first mini race recap in 2012, the mini is inspiring and unique in so many ways. NYRR always gets an amazing elite field, which this year included Desi Linden back again plus Deena Kastor, Molly Huddle (who won and broke the 30-year standing national all-women’s 10k record by 1 second), Lauren Fleshman and many others. It’s the only race that I get to be right up front – able to actually see all those incredible women start the race – which is very cool. The pre-race speeches are awesome (especially since I get to be right next to the stage for once) – today, Mary Wittenberg got the crowd revved up as usual, Katherine Switzer (along with the other female founder of the race) got up on stage to share the history of the race since it started in 1972, which I always like to hear because I certainly cannot imagine a time without women running! Desi gave a quick speech as did one of the Boston survivors, who said some very moving words about the space between where you are and where you want to be. It was a great start to the morning!
It’s also a very useful training tool for me, as I’m usually in between training cycles (i.e. post Spring marathon, usually climbing out of my gluttonous lazy phase), and thus is a great barometer of where I stand as I begin to prepare for late summer (NYC triathlon) and fall racing (Bronx 10 and Marine Corps Marathon). Two years ago – the last time I was able to really race – it told me I was in good shape for the start of my Chicago training and sure enough, I went on to BQ.
Lastly, the mini is a fun opportunity to catch up with my friend and this year – unexpectedly – race with her! I’m usually faster but this year she’s been getting one PR after another and I apparently am getting slower, so the gap is closing! She took off at the start and normally I would let her go and catch her later, since I tend to start out slower and gradually speed up (at least this works great in longer distances), but today I decided that I couldn’t let her out of my sight. My legs were feeling pretty heavy and I knew I needed a little competition to spur me on! So it was interesting for once to take off and try to hold on. Not my usual strategy but for a shorter race I guess it’s not a bad one.
I finally caught her around mile 1 and told her, “You’re really giving me a run for my money!” From that point onwards, we ended up running within a few steps of each other. I could hardly keep up with her at times and I was pushing HARD. I hadn’t raced like that in a very long time – it was uncomfortable, and at times horrible, but also wonderful to get in touch with that feeling of hard work and that good (i.e. non injured) pain that goes along with it.
I looked at my watch during the first couple of miles but then didn’t bother. I was just trying to hang on and continue to carefully toe that line of racing but not blowing up. Around mile 5, I could tell she was struggling (I was too) and so I gave her some words of encouragement about how well she was doing. She said she didn’t think she was doing that great – so I told her, “Well, you have one mile to change that! Don’t let me beat you!” That seemed to get her going – and sure enough she got a PR. That last mile was brutal. She got ahead and I managed to pour every ounce of energy I had left into one final sprint so that we crossed the line at the same time. We both nearly fell over when we finished. I had no idea what time we got but thought surely that at that effort we must have finished in 45 something. Nope – 47:08! I couldn’t believe it. But I was happy. What a great combination of camaraderie and competition.
So this year, the mini revealed that I have a LOT of work to do before my next race on Aug 3. We’re defending champs of the women’s NYC triathlon relay and I can’t let my team down! It was warm and humid out, and I hadn’t rested much during the week (silly me, deciding to start strength training again a couple days before), so I’m sure that’s part of it. But mostly I just need to get back to the gym, hit the track more regularly, and get rid of those extra pounds I’m carrying. Time to get to work! I’ve started to keep a food journal just to get back into more mindful eating. It’s VERY time consuming (even with myfitnesspal), and I’m proud of myself for sticking with it for 6 days in a row. It’s really increased my awareness of my eating patterns and how I can make some positive changes to optimally fuel my body and help get myself back into racing shape.
As in previous years, I couldn’t leave the post-race festival without getting my medal signed. This time, I got Desi’s signature (as before) as well as Deena’s and Lauren’s, and got to chat with all of them about how they ran, upcoming races etc. Definitely a wonderful experience!
I made a killer whole wheat pizza packed with veggies as well as some chicken sausage and cheese for my post race meal. YUM. E had just gotten back from a 50 mile bike ride so we both happily stuffed our faces. Here’s the pizza before I popped it in the oven. I love Trader Joe’s dough!
And now back to the books. I stupidly left some substantial projects for my Sports Nutrition class to the last minute (these summer courses really fly by) and thus tomorrow I’ll be in the library all day rather than enjoying the beautiful weather. I dream that someday I will be done with this program!! The good news is that I finished my clinical rotations last week and only have about 8 more weeks to go before I finish my Dietetic Internship and can take my RD exam. I won’t be truly finished until May 2015, but still…light at the end of the tunnel!
4:30AM on the Palisades Parkway
“I look around and all I see is crazy people without their medication, all bug-eyed and excitable. Navy seals, army rangers and the bat-shit crazies all let out early for time-served. It was quite the moment when I realized I was one of them and our collective medical treatment would begin very…very…soon…”
The Plan
Running an ultramarathon is like eating an elephant: you can only finish it with the right amount of patience and barbecue sauce. But mostly, it’s about the patience.
The North Face Bear Mountain 50K is a monster; one of the more challenging “short” ultramarathons on the east coast. From my previous attempt at the 21K distance, I was prepared for just how technical the trails would be. I was less prepared for how torrential rains a few days prior would shape the course into an unrecognizable minefield.
As this was my first ultramarathon, I only had a few KEY objectives:
(1) don’t get injured, (2) don’t DNF (“Did Not Finish”) (although a DFL was OK – i.e. “Dead Fucking Last” ) – i.e. make the cutoffs, and most importantly (3) eat/drink aggressively. As it turned out, the course was in such bad shape that balancing speed vs. injury was the main obstacle. I still can’t get my head around how the professionals just cruised over such horrible terrain. It just doesn’t make sense to me.
This sort of distance is a true measure of physical and mental toughness however when the elements are against you, at least for me, it turned into an exercise of survival.
31 miles. 5000 feet of elevation. 8 hours and 18 minutes of relentless forward progress.
Mantra for the race
Relentless Forward Progress
The key to running this distance is preparation. It’s not enough to have run a number of marathons. Running an ultramarathon, especially on trails, is a totally different animal. The time on your feet alone is something that most road runners cannot anticipate, let alone tolerate.
If I’m completely honest, my preparation was more mental than physical – as a keen listener & reader of all things ultra, I had enough sound advice under my belt to draw upon to make the day manageable. Sure, I increased my training volume – three 20 mile runs and one 23 mile run – a lot of strength training but all of this was small potatoes. Even the 500+ miles in training volume this year ( a lot of which, with a pack to harden my quads ) wasn’t the real preparation.
All of the nuggets of advice I took in from others – everything from “what to eat” to “how to run downhill” – all of these small pieces of advice pushed me to a strong finish. If I had to pick one piece of advice that was the most true it was this: “things will get better”. And it was true. Every bad patch was followed by a better patch somewhat later – the key was sticking it out. I simply had no measure or method to gague how hard to push the course or what pacing strategy I should emplore – there was just no comparison; no equivlaent race – even this course in previous years wouldn’t have felt the same – so mostly, I just went by feel; very conservative.
The Course
The North Face people really know how to put on a race. Everything you need is really there. It’s a far cry from the trail races I used to run in the UK, where you’d be impressed if you had a stick of gum at the aid station. Mile 20 deep in the forest had chicken broth and coca-cola – both of which I enjoyed. Some even had medical personnel to assist with blister repair ( I also took this in, given the backs of my achilles were bloodied by mile 15 ).
I’ll have to have a word with the RD about the hill at mile 28.
The Garmin GPS details really tell the whole story – I was ready to run, but the course had other plans. I probably only ran 15 miles, the rest either hiking uphill with my hands on my legs (taking the load) or gingerly trying not to trip on rocks littering both the river beds and the streams.
Deep Mud for the Cameras
The best part of running it last year was that I KNEW when the bad terrain was over – around mile 28 – from there, it was super runnable downhill with a few modest hikes uphill. Even after that many miles on my feet, I was excited to be able to throw myself down the mountain again and finish feeling relatively strong. Given the distance it’s amazing to think that I felt better after 8 hours then I did when I red-lined my marathon last fall – think it really tells you something about how the distance isn’t as tricky as the intensity at which you do it. It was the perfect ending to a long day.
After over eight hours on the trails, there’s too many details to count. Here’s a quick snapshot of the highlights:
Achilles Blisters! Still not healed after 10 days….
Fix Me Doctor!
Course Notes
Journey – 4AM wake-up for a 7AM start. Of course, I didn’t sleep through the night.
Pre-Race – Fire to keep warm and fresh coffee. Didn’t stoke the bowels, but nice and toasty before the sun rose.
Cramps – I started the race with a horrible stitch that didn’t go away for five miles. Wonderful.
Elevation – 5k feet of elevation ascent/descent is fun – only when runnable. Not so runnable. Quads. Quads. Quads.
Mud – Tons of mud, ankle deep. Insane how thick and all encompassing. Never. Fucking. Ending.
Water – Deep streams and treacherous crossings. Cools the heals at least.
Bugs – They were everywhere. Not sure how I forgot about this one.
Leaves – Wet leaves were slippery. Dry leaves hide TONS of sharp rocks. Very hard to navigate.
Branches – Look at your feet, roots below. Look up quick, branch in the face!
Briars – Tons of sharp briars on the legs scraping as you go @ 21M. Sweet!
Rocks – Unrunnable rocks. Every rock on the east coast they found.
Scrambles – Getting to the top of the mountain required hands AND feet. Up and down.
Hallucinations – These were helpful; animated arrows on the ground showing me the way through the rock field. Still, a little unnerving. Especially because I didn’t realize they were hallucinations until the following day.
Blisters/Toe Jams – Amazing I didn’t break anything. I definitely kicked a few BIG rocks. Let’s see what’s different in a few days.
Blood/guts – I didn’t realize until the end of the race, but apparently I was bleeding at the achilles on both legs. Good thing I wasn’t stomping through malaria infested swamp water for 5 miles. Oh wait….
People – Trail races are just full of friendly people, all willing to assist, provides words of encouragement – it’s just a great sub-culture.
ICE ICE BABY!
Obligatory gear shot.
Good Decisions
CARBO LOADING – Burritos. Rice. Repeat.
REST – I had a very light running week. Felt very fresh for the race if not a little over-carbo loaded. The wife was in charge of my nutrition plan and kept me stocked with quality rice, pasta, gummy bears, swedish fish – perfection.
Relentless forward progress – There were chairs at the aid stations but I knew if I stopped moving then my day was over. KEEP ON MOVING!
Hydration Bladder – Keeping hydrated was key. I was aggressive on drinking fluids but it still didn’t pee once in 8 hours (at some point, I did wonder if my kidneys were shutting down and I was going to die out there…)
Streams – Turns out that running through streams reduces swelling. Who knew?
Body Glide + Baby Oil – The anti-chafing combination saving the nation.
Flat Coke/Pepsi – Perfect to get in calories at the aid stations & settle the stomach. ULTRA STAPLE!
Potatoes dipped in salt – Amazing. Simply amazing. Aid Stations Glory.
SaltStick Capsules – Amazing. Effective. Will use in the future.
Strength Training – Squats. Push-ups. Crunches. Saved my legs.
Pearl Izumi N2 trail – Effective on road. Effective on trails.
iPod – Hate to run with music but it saved me this time. Preloaded trance and dance podcasts but wound up just listening to the customized playlist.
Wife @ The End – Wonderful seeing the wife at the end of the race – what a trooper waiting for me given how long it took. If you do not have one, I suggest you pick one up.
Burgers – Protein is a must after such an event. A day of eating fake food – all I wanted was something hot, dead, and dripping in blood.
Better Decisions
Sharpy! – Next time, write the aid station distances on your forearm. Maybe even a mantra ( my mantra was “tough days don’t last – tough people do” )
Long Socks – Smartwool socks were fantastic, however they slipped down, ripping apart my achilles in the process.
Gaiters – They worked in the UK; now bring them to America on a wet day.
Bug Spray – How could you forget DEET? Definitely ate a bunch of bugs. Protein?
Make The next one Runnable – A great race, but I sure did miss running – next one should be more runnable.
The Carnage
Twenty-four hours post race and the main challenge was getting my digestive system moving again. Killer rosemary fries and burgers from Back-40 did the job nicely. My back/core was also incredible sore from all of the stabilization activities. Quads took a beating but I’d say no worse than a fast marathon.
Six days later and my quads have returned. I can now walk upright – it’s amazing. My achilles blister is still in bad shape – the burn was deep and although I have been able to run on it, the return to form will likely take another week I’m expecting.
I’m still unable to process the enormity of the undertaking. I’ve dreamed of running an ultramarathon for some time. Now that it’s finally in the can, I can’t wait to sign up for my next one – it’s going to be DRY, it’s going to be FLAT (relatively) and it’s going to be hopefully very, very LONG…
Reflections for NEXT TIME
Seven days of limping around NYC have made me think a few more things:
– I probably could have run with a handheld to improve agility
– I probably could have run faster on the flats
– I probably could have taken less time in the aid stations
– I probably should have taped my achilles at the 1st sign of hot spots
– I definitely should have strapped ICE to my quads post race to help with DOMS
– I definitely want to run another one – maybe a 50 miler before I ripen (age 40 coming quickly…)
Finish in sight!!!!!! Holy Fucking Shit!
I had to write a quick addendum to my race recap after receiving the most wonderful surprise in the mail today. I forgot to mention that I decided to do a little social experiment during the race on the kindness of strangers. Rather than throw away my small Amphipod handheld water bottle when the water ran out as I normally do (those things aren’t cheap – and it was brand new), I included a nice note with my address in the zipped pocket and handed it to a spectator. E suggested that I hand it to a woman to increase the chance of getting it back – I agreed! I gave it a woman perhaps around my Mom’s age who seemed to be enjoying the race and though a bit surprised, took my bottle as I ran by and said a few words.
Although I figured I had a 50/50 chance of getting the bottle back, I certainly didn’t expect to get an enlarged photo of me taken right after I passed by (with my name on it too) and the sweetest note ever. Totally something I would do! I never doubted that the Boston spectators were amazing, but this certainly sealed the deal. Clearly a thank you note with a photo of my finish is in order!
Check it out:
Thank you Spectator Joanne! Couldn’t have done this race without your support!
This is what I am sending back in response – card, the bracelet made from the limited edition 2013 Boston Marathon street banners that runners received at the expo, and a little collage of my race. 🙂
As anyone who participated will surely agree, the 2014 Boston Marathon was one of the most inspirational, celebratory and unique races I have ever run. But before I dive into my recap, I have to say, I didn’t fully appreciate just how challenging this race is or how strong and speedy I ran last year until I was back for a second try this past Monday. Nevermind the net downhill or even the years of work it took to qualify – that course is tough!
I may be a bit biased though, as this year’s race was an unintentionally slow one for me, with a finish time of 3:56:25 and average pace of 9:01 min/mile. That’s over 20 minutes slower than my time last year and 15 minutes slower than my previously slowest marathon, which is a huge gap given that I’m a fairly predictable runner (+/- a few minutes). But more on that shortly…
Race morning was like an episode of deja-vu. Once again, my college friend and I were making our way to Hopkinton in the early morning before the roads closed. We picked up the same runner on the way and drove backwards along several miles of the course to another friend’s house, watching the volunteers set up aid stations and feeling our stomachs begin to churn with nervous excitement. We got to Hopkinton just before 7am and relaxed for a few hours. It was all a bit strange – there we were, the same runners in the same outfits, at the same place, taking the same group photo against the same wall; I couldn’t believe an entire year had passed by already!
This year our friend was able to drive us right up to the entrance of the athletes village, which was jam packed by the time we arrived around 9:15am. The atmosphere was electric! It was also somewhat overwhelming; as last year, I was grateful to be there with a friend. Nearly every inch of grass was claimed by runners and running gear. The Wave 1 folks were moving towards the start (~0.7M away) and everyone else was either basking in the sunshine or waiting in the insanely long toilet lines. We waited for 45min, after which it was time for us Wave 2 runners to exit the village. At this point it was still quite chilly – the sun was warm but there was a cool breeze and my friend and I were nowhere near ready to part with our throwaway clothes. Funny, because just 2omin later, I would’ve given anything to feel that cool!
BAA did an incredible job organizing the start this year – far more streamlined and orderly compared to last year. As we made our way to our corrals, I felt the same “I can’t believe I’m about to run a marathon” feeling, but with an added sense of pride and solidarity. I had made a mental note last year to leave a bit early for the bathroom line near the corrals and was very happy to discover that there were at least three times as many bathrooms this year – absolutely no wait! And unlike last year (and pretty much every marathon I’ve run), we weren’t waiting around in the corrals. BAA timed it perfectly so that we entered our corral and immediately began walking towards the start as the gun went off.
Crossing the start line was exhilarating; it was impossible not to feel emotional. The amount of crowd support was unreal. Last year, there was an initial big cheer and then small pockets of spectators throughout the first half, but for the most part it was relatively quiet and dare I say boring. This year, the course was lined with spectators the entire way to Wellesley. It was beyond impressive!
This wave 1 runner’s awesome Google glass video of the race gives you a good sense of the athletes village and start line experience (the whole video is worth a watch).
Although I never stopped appreciating just how unique a day it was, unfortunately it did not turn out to be the race I had hoped it would be in terms of my own personal performance. Time was never my focus this year, but I invested a lot of it into my training despite the horrendous winter and constraints of the Dietetic Internship, and I had a strong, injury-free training cycle, so I couldn’t help but have certain expectations about my finish. In other words, if I was going to run what normally is a VERY relaxed pace for me, I would at least feel good while doing it!
But hey, not every race can go as planned. My experience was a perfect example of how training runs only make up one piece of the overall puzzle, along with nutrition, sleep/recovery, stress, weather etc. Some factors are within your control, and others are not. In my case, race day happened to fall right in the middle of the hardest part of my internship. I wasn’t feeling amazing on race morning, but I got a few nights of solid sleep, hydrated/carbo-loaded as per my usual routine, and wasn’t experiencing any GI distress, so I thought I’d be fine.
Several weeks of inadequate sleep and stress, and more importantly, a stomach virus caught 4 days earlier, left me feeling more mentally and physically worn out than I realized until I was out on the course. It was also hot outside (high 60s at the start), which felt like the tropics compared to the polar vortex that persisted throughout most of my training. So while I started out at my usual MP feeling okay, within a few miles I felt surprisingly fatigued and unwell (stomach cramps, nausea). No matter what I did (the usual mental tricks, adjusting pace, hydration, gels), I couldn’t shake it off. My fellow 3:33 qualifiers, and then all the corrals behind me, were passing me right and left for miles. This never bothers me as I always pass a good chunk of them later on, but this time I knew that wouldn’t be the case. It was frustrating, but ultimately all I could do was accept how I was feeling, slow down, and take things mile by mile.
Thankfully, the crowds were AMAZING and I was able to redirect my attention (which usually is intensely focused on my own race) to everyone around me to get me to the finish line. As soon as I would feel myself sinking into my own pain and discomfort, I would come across a new source of inspiration that made those feelings seem insignificant, whether it was listening to the deafening cheers, hearing hundreds of people scream my name as if they were my hugest fans, reading the hilarious “kiss me” signs and running through the “scream tunnel” at Wellseley, hearing that Meb won (GO MEB!), passing by Team Hoyt as they completed their 32nd Boston Marathon, running alongside amputees as they conquered the course, counting down the number of miles until I would see my husband, or taking a much-needed glass of water from one of many generous spectators in between aid stations. I was really touched by the amount of support we received from the Boston community. I can’t say I physically enjoyed every moment of the race, but I felt so lucky to be a part of such a historic and symbolic event and did my best to soak up the atmosphere.
Above are a few shots of me out on the course – at mile 20 at the base of heartbreak hill (where family friends, who we stayed with in Newton last year, cheered me on), a random by the official photo company, and at mile 25 (where I gave E a huge kiss). He watched me at the same spot last year, and seeing him (after counting down for so many miles) really gave me the lift I needed to get me through that final stretch!
Running towards the finish line was pretty epic. It was funny because I was nearly there and it occurred to me, oh yeah I should probably sprint! I was so mentally and physically not in racing mode that I nearly forgot!
Check out my Garmin details to see the progression of my race. I also included a comparison of my official splits from last year and this year, just to show the drastic difference between the two. As E said to me later on re: the slowing down of my pace, “that looks like one of my races” haha!
After I finished, I felt very ill and stumbled about for awhile before eventually getting my medal, water, food etc. The sun was so strong I felt like I was under a heat lamp, so this year’s amazing space blanket cape thing with hood provided some nice protection. I’m glad it took E awhile to get to the reunion area because by that point I was finally starting to feel more human again; still overheated and very nauseous but in better spirits with a little water and salt in my system. Here are some photos he took when he found me!
We slowly made our way to the park, where many runners and spectators were lounging on the grass. So many happy, tired, celebratory people around us! We found a nice shady spot to relax for awhile, given I was still feeling a bit unwell. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to be done with the race and to have E by my side. Lying down felt so good – it was nearly impossible to get back up!
We made our way to the T back towards Arlington, where there was an awesome local ice cream shop. Two giant scoops of ice cream (and a huge burger, fries and hard cider later on with friends) – that’s how this future RD likes to recover post-marathon!
I confess that my frustration returned the day after my race (E had to listen to me vent for a couple hours during the ride back to NYC), but now that I’ve had a few days to process everything, I’m able to appreciate that I ran a really smart and strong race that was appropriate to how I felt on that particular day. I am proud of myself for being flexible, adjusting my goals and prioritizing my health.
Despite how horrible I felt, I didn’t once stop running until I reached the finish line, which was my new goal for the race once I stopped paying attention to speed. For the first time, I wasn’t a slave to my watch or pace band, which was very refreshing. I could have pushed myself a lot harder, but instead I listened to my body and let myself run at whatever pace felt okay so that I wouldn’t end up in the medical tent (as so many others did that day). I didn’t enjoy running a marathon in shorts (mostly I wasn’t used to it), but I avoided chaffing by taking every stick of vaseline offered to me along the course (since my pre-race application didn’t last long in the heat). I took the extra time to hydrate at every water station, and in between stations too when I was able. My stomach hurt but I didn’t have real GI issues, thank goodness.
As a result of all this, I was able to finish in under 4 hours, without any major problems! I went for my first recovery run yesterday and was amazed by how fresh my legs felt. Obviously I wasn’t racing on Monday, and I also got an incredible massage on Tuesday, but still – my legs didn’t feel like I just ran a marathon! Good thing too, because I’m running the Brooklyn Half in less than 3 weeks, and then I have two 10ks over the summer (including NYC Triathlon relay) and the Marine Corps Marathon in the fall. But first – a much needed break from structured training!
And that sums up my Boston 2014 experience! I don’t think I’ll be back there to race for awhile, which makes me even more grateful that I was able to be a part of this year’s marathon. Thank you again to all my friends and family who supported me throughout the long journey to qualification and during the 2013 and 2014 races! I have so many memories across the emotional spectrum from both of my Boston experiences that I will always cherish.
Marathon weekend and Spring weather (hopefully lasting this time) have finally arrived and I think all runners regardless of what event they’re working towards deserve a HUGE pat on the pack for getting through this particularly tough training cycle. For me, as I’ve blogged about previously, it’s been challenging not only because of the crazy weather, but also the Dietetic Internship, which really ramped up in intensity this past month. My taper has unfortunately been accompanied by several weeks of sleep deprivation ending with a bad stomach bug this past week, nevertheless I’m grateful I was able to complete all my long runs without any major injuries and am now here in Boston ready to tackle this historic course for a second time. My stomach is still a bit queasy here and there, but that could just be the carbo-loading!
It felt a little weird to be back in Boston at first, perhaps because we were on the same exact schedule as last year, which brought back a flood of mixed emotions and chaotic memories. E and I drove up from NYC and arrived around 2:30pm yesterday, spent a couple hours at the expo (sadly we missed all the big names this year), paid a visit to the finish line, took a bunch of photos, and then got settled in where we are staying. I opted to wear last year’s official jacket, even though I caved last week and bought a few items from the 2014 line (pictured above) – that jacket is just SO bright.
As I wandered around, it occurred to me how much things have changed since I last ran Boston, both for me – now married and nearly finished with my internship (last year I had just found out I had not matched, which was very upsetting) – and for the race too. That underlying somber element was of course still present, however, with the sun shining and thousands of people in Red Sox and Boston Marathon gear hitting the streets, I felt mostly positivity and solidarity around me. This was clear from the goodies in my race bag and the banners hanging at the expo to the excited smiles of pretty much every person I encountered. When I visited the finish line, I felt even more grateful than I did last year to have the opportunity to support and celebrate this race. It’s bound to be a good one!
I’ve included above some photos from the expo and below, a few at the finish line (including one of the bombing sites – huge lines to get into the running store). I really love the finisher shirt this year (especially the “Boston as One” with the unicorn logo on the back), my new orange headband (my one purchase of the day), and the little race bag packet including a 26.2 sticker, temporary heart tattoo (which I’ll wear on my arm tomorrow) and a bracelet with a lovely message. It was a really nice touch. Good job BAA!
I honestly have no idea how tomorrow will go. I am not fighting off injury as I was last year, but I also am less fit and not as well rested. I’m guessing I may be around 3:40-3:45ish, depending on how hard I feel like pushing myself (my slowest marathon time is 3:41:52, to give some context). Either way, I am trying something different tomorrow that I’ve been meaning to do for awhile. I will not be using a pace band, and I will also be covering up my Garmin (I still want to track the run but want to prevent myself from checking my splits) so I can attempt to run “by feel.” I know I’m not going to beat my hard effort from last year (3:36), but I’ve always been curious to see how I would run if I really listened to my body. It will be unsettling and will take a lot of discipline and trust in myself, but I’m excited to try it out. Even if I end up running a more relaxed race and don’t push myself very hard, I’m very interested to see what my splits will look like. I’m generally a pretty steady runner but maybe it’ll help even more – or not.
Race day is predicted to get up to 68 degrees, which is a tad warm for my taste. I’ve run every marathon in my compression tights thus far but last year I regretted that decision within a few miles of the start, so it’s time to finally try out 26.2 miles in shorts. I love my Lululemon shorts and have run many long runs in them over the summer, but my body has changed since then and I haven’t worn them for more than 9M recently…so I’ll have to slap on a ton of body glide on my thighs and hope for the best!
Here are a few more photos from the weekend, including my friend’s adorable puppy, all my gear ready to go and me this afternoon after my last pre-race run!
It’s already late afternoon and I have a pile of work to do for my program, but hopefully I can relax a bit tonight too because mentally, I’m feeling pretty worn out. I also have a really early morning tomorrow despite my 10:25am start (wave 2). Like last year, my friend is driving us out to Hopkinton (where we hang out at another friend’s house until closer to race time), and the roads close a bit earlier this year due to heightened security. We’ll probably also have to do a bit more walking to get to the athletes village, but that’s ok. My parents aren’t here this year (they are taking a break after last year) but I’m excited to see E at mile 25 near the Citgo sign, where he cheered for me last year too. I also will have a few other supporters along the course, and have no doubt the crowds will be even louder than usual. I certainly will be needing the encouragement!
Lastly, E and I found out that we got into the Marine Corps Marathon in October. I can’t say I’m psyched for NYC summer training, but I do love fall marathon running and am looking forward to running a new marathon with E, especially one near his hometown. It also means I have another racing opportunity coming up should I want one, which takes even more pressure off my performance tomorrow.
Good luck to everyone running tomorrow! I’m excited to get out there and experience what I can only imagine will be an incredibly unique race.
Happy Thursday! I hope you are all enjoying the gorgeous Spring weather this week. Unfortunately, I have been stuck inside the library all day every day but it looks glorious out there. Only 19 more days until the semester is over and I can finally relax and finish planning my wedding (although I suppose those two things don’t usually go together…sigh).
I decided to turn my previous blog post on my Boston Marathon experience (which I edited quite heavily, for those of you who read the original) into a condensed essay to send to Runner’s World, and it was published online in the “Other Voices” blog this morning! I’ve never written anything for RW before, so I found it quite exciting to see my piece on the homepage, even if you have to scroll down a bit to find it.
You can read my essay here. I’ve also included the text below.
I’ve been focusing on qualifying for the Boston Marathon for over two years. On April 15th, I found myself in Hopkinton at last. I had spent months training for the rolling hills of the course and was confident that my body was prepared for the challenge ahead. Little did I know that the real challenge would be the emotional rollercoaster I would experience that day, and in the days that followed. Nothing could have prepared me for that.
I am deeply grateful to have finished safely, and that my loved ones were not harmed. Yet I was one block away, hundreds of people were injured and I can’t help but replay Monday’s events in my mind.
Sounds of the explosions were misunderstood and dismissed at the time, and then of sirens, which did not register from too many years of living in NYC. The overwhelming flood of concerned calls and messages alerting me of what had just happened. Disbelief – who would possibly bomb a marathon finish line?
Confusion as I walked 4 miles parallel to the deserted race course – where I had just run with such hopefulness and determination – trying to get back to where I was staying. Heartache as I spoke with stranded runners who weren’t able to finish their race, even though that meant they were safe! My medal hung heavily around my neck with shame, tucked beneath my bright yellow marathon shirt. I couldn’t part with it, nor could I be proud of it.
I felt numb as I watched the news later that evening. I couldn’t – and still can’t – wrap my head around what happened. The physical symptoms of racing have long faded, but the pain, anger, sadness, guilt, pride and other emotions that I have been feeling over the last two weeks are deeply woven into my Boston debut.
While driving to the expo, it occurred to me that somewhere along the winding path towards achieving my BQ, I had lost sight of the actual goal – to run in Boston! Of course I was eager to experience the famed crowds, conquer the Newton hills and earn that amazing unicorn medal at the finish…but if I am honest with myself, it was the challenge of qualifying in itself that had been pushing me to the start line. I wanted to prove that I could run fast enough to gain entry into one of the most honored and historic marathons, to belong to this special club of “serious” runners who wore their official Boston Marathon jackets on long training runs like badges of honor.
After several failed attempts, I finally joined that club at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon. My mantra throughout this race had been, “I want it more than I fear it,” the “it” being a BQ and whatever physical pain I had to overcome to reach my goal. I remember seeing my parents at mile 25 and yelling to them, “I’m going to BQ!” The emotional impact of that statement, as I heard myself say it aloud and knew in my heart, my legs and my tears that it was true, was indescribable. Finishing that race was a spectacular moment – sheer joy and surprisingly, not much pain. Within 30 minutes, I registered for one of the last spots to run the 2013 Boston Marathon.
It was on Boylston Street while visiting the finish line that it finally hit me: I was about to run THE Boston Marathon! I felt proud of my accomplishment but also humbled and inspired by the myriad official race jackets that surrounded me. I had only qualified by two minutes, but I had worked hard for my acceptance and it was time for my 26.2-mile victory lap!
What struck me most about the Boston start was that despite being a major race, it somehow had a small community feel to it. The atmosphere reminded me of any number of UK towns where I used to run local races while living in London, where my dream to run Boston emerged. As I waited in my coral, I felt a unique connection to the runners around me; we all knew what it had taken to get to Hopkinton.
Everyone told me to “enjoy every step” and I tried, but it was a tough course and a good chunk of the middle miles were unpleasant. The euphoria I experienced while passing through the “wall of sound” in Wellesley and again at BU snapped me out of my funk. My pace jumped as I felt a surge of energy from the deafening cheers. I embraced the physical pain while repeating my new mantra, “with heart and courage move I.” I had borrowed this phrase from a Native American friend while she was discussing similarities between modern marathon runners and the Ridge Runners of California coastal tribes. I no longer “wanted” anything as I did in Chicago – I simply let my heart and legs guide me towards the finish, one step at a time.
The final miles seemed endless, but I felt strong as I sprinted to complete my first Boston Marathon. I didn’t get that same feeling as I did in Chicago, nor did I achieve another BQ, but I was proud to have run my second fastest marathon that day.
It took me 25 minutes to reach the reunion area, where I found my family and snapped a few exhausted but happy photos. That’s when we heard the explosions, and everything unraveled into the tragic and disturbing situation we all know too well.
I no longer see the Boston Marathon as just a symbol of athletic achievement. It represents the physical and emotional hills that accompany all of life’s ambitious pursuits- the pain of failure, the joy of success and the multitude of emotions in between. We embrace these worthy challenges and even in our weakest moments, we somehow summon enough strength and courage to reach our goals. It may take several tries, and at times we may lose faith, but with the support of loved ones and others sharing our path, we keep moving forward.
As much as I can’t help but care about my time (I am a runner after all), it’s everything else that keeps drawing me back to the marathon distance, and particularly to the Boston Marathon. I will be at the start line on April 21, 2014 – that is, of course, if I can get in!
Claire is a graduate student in Clinical Nutrition at New York University, a Road Runners Club of America Certified coach and author of personal running and nutrition blog, The Fight and Flight Response.
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I also wanted to share some screenshots of my official race photos. Some of them turned out really well and it brings me some comfort to see so many smiles.
Last but not least, I am excited to report that I will be coaching the Gilda’s Club NYC marathon team again this year! If you’re interested in joining, shoot me an email (thefightandflightresponse@gmail.com) – we have 27 spots available, it’s for a great cause and I promise we’ll have tons of fun.
Have a great weekend everyone!!
I am experiencing the lingering effects of a bad hangover. I’m not just referring to last night (which happened to be my bachelorette party), but rather to an exhausting week filled with tragedy and mixed emotions. The physical symptoms of racing the Boston Marathon on Monday have mostly faded, my legs already raring to go for my next event; it’s everything else that I’m still trying to process…
I am deeply grateful that I finished safely, 29 minutes before the bombings, and my loved ones were not harmed. Yet I was one block away, hundreds of people were harmed and I can’t help but replay Monday’s events in my mind…
Sounds of the explosions, misunderstood and dismissed at the time, and then of sirens, which did not register from too many years of living in NYC. The overwhelming flood of concerned calls and messages asking about my safety and alerting me to what had just happened. Disbelief – who would possibly bomb a marathon finish line?!
Police everywhere, roads blocked, train shut down. Confused spectators and runners. Walking (hobbling) for 4 miles parallel to a deserted race course – in the opposite direction to what I had run not long before with such hopefulness and determination – trying to get back to where we were staying. Stranded runners who weren’t able to finish their race, completely shell-shocked. My heart ached for those runners who were stopped so close to the finish line, even though that meant they were safe! One woman, who had been running for charity, showed me a photo of a young boy on the back of her t-shirt. She had been running for him. My medal hung heavily around my neck with shame, tucked beneath my bright yellow marathon shirt. I couldn’t part with it, nor could I be proud of it.
I felt numb as I watched the news later that evening. I couldn’t – and still can’t – wrap my head around what happened, nor do I expect to. But as I reflect back on my experience and continue to process what happened, running the Boston Marathon has taken on a very different meaning to me.
While driving to the expo, it occurred to me that somewhere along the winding path towards achieving my BQ, I had lost sight of the actual goal – to run in Boston! Of course I was eager to experience the famed crowds, conquer the Newton hills and earn that amazing unicorn medal at the finish…but if I am honest with myself, it was the challenge of qualifying in itself that had been pushing me to the start line. I wanted to prove that I could run fast enough to gain entry into one of the most honored and historic marathons, to belong to this special club of “serious” runners who wore their official Boston Marathon jackets on long training runs like badges of honor.
After several failed attempts, I finally joined that club at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon last October. My mantra throughout that race had been, “I want it more than I fear it,” the “it” being a BQ, and whatever physical pain I had to overcome to reach my goal. I remember seeing my parents at mile 25 and yelling to them, “I’m going to BQ!” The emotional impact of that statement, as I heard myself say it aloud and knew in my heart, my legs and my tears that it was true, was indescribable. Finishing that race was a spectacular moment – sheer joy and surprisingly, not much pain. Within 30 minutes of attaining my BQ, I registered for one of the last spots to run the 2013 Boston Marathon.
It was on Boylston Street, while visiting the finish line that it finally hit me – I was about to run THE Boston Marathon! I felt proud of my accomplishment but also humbled and inspired by the myriad official race jackets that surrounded me. I had only qualified by two minutes, but I worked hard for my acceptance and it was time for my 26.2 mile victory lap!
On race morning, a friend from college who has run Boston many times before and who runs a similar pace to me offered to pick me up and drive me to Hopkinton before the roads closed. We relaxed and kept warm at her friend’s house in Hopkinton until an hour before our Wave 2 start, allowing us just enough time to drop our bags and wait in the long bathroom lines. Speaking of which, tip to runners – don’t wait in the crazy lines in the village as we did – there are tons of toilets near the corrals, so drop your bags and head over there!
What struck me most about the Boston start was that despite being a major race, it somehow had a small community feel to it. The atmosphere reminded me of any number of UK towns where I used to run local races while living in London, where my dream to run Boston emerged. As I waited in my coral, I felt a unique connection to the runners around me; we all knew what it had taken to get to Hopkinton!
Wanting to BQ but knowing I didn’t have to meant that the pressure was off, so when my hamstring started to hurt early on at mile 6 and I felt fatigue setting in much earlier than anticipated, I decided to stop looking at my watch. I was two minutes off my pace band but I didn’t care – I knew I would be better off running according to feel. Running as strong as my body would allow and finishing in a respectable time were my new goals!
Everyone told me to “enjoy every step” and I certainly tried, but it was a tough course and a good chunk of the middle miles were unpleasant. The euphoria I experienced while passing through the “wall of sound” in Wellesley and again at BU snapped me out of my funk. My pace jumped as I felt a surge of energy from the deafening cheers. I embraced the physical pain while repeating my new mantra, “with heart and courage move I.” I had borrowed this phrase from a Native American friend while she was discussing similarities between modern marathon runners and the Ridge Runners of California coastal tribes. I no longer “wanted” anything as I did in Chicago – I simply let my heart and legs guide me towards the finish, one step at a time.
Team Claire – which was much larger this year – awaited me at the base of Heartbreak hill, infusing me with the strength I needed to reach the top. I love the two photos that my Dad took, especially the first one with the random guy on the phone and my expression (hill? what hill?!).
Shortly thereafter, I spotted my friend from college. We pushed each other through some of those long, final miles, which was refreshing given that I usually run alone, 100% focused on my own race. I must have pushed a little too early since my pace began to slow with over 2M left and one more unexpected hill, but I knew E was waiting for me at the Citgo sign (mile 25), which kept me going.
The final mile seemed endless, but I felt strong as I sprinted to complete my first Boston Marathon. I didn’t get that same feeling as I did in Chicago, nor did I achieve another BQ, but I was proud to have run my second fastest marathon that day, paced extremely well to boot (check out my Garmin details). Considering the talent of my fellow runners, I am very pleased with my placements.
I found my friend at the finish and we shared our race experiences while hobbling along to receive our medals, get food and collect our drop bags. It took us at least 25 minutes to finally reach the reunion area, where we each found our loved ones and snapped a few exhausted but happy photos. Such big smiles!
That’s when we heard the explosions, and slowly everything unraveled into the tragic and disturbing situation we all know too well. As much as I try to make sense of it all, I just can’t. What happened was senseless. All I can do is appreciate my own experience and keep running strong in honor of everyone who was killed and injured.
It’s worth noting that Boston came right on the heels of my not matching to a Dietetic Internship, a huge and unexpected disappointment. Just days before the race, I commented on how much I appreciated the timing of Boston just one week after Match Day, as it would remind me that there are other things in my life that I failed to achieve on my first try, but with perseverance and belief in myself, I made it happen. I wanted to run strong in this race to prove that I refused to give up on myself. And I did just that.
I no longer see the Boston Marathon as just a symbol of athletic achievement. It represents the physical and emotional hills that accompany all of life’s ambitious pursuits; the pain of failure, the joy of success and the multitude of emotions in between! We embrace these worthy challenges and even in our weakest moments, we somehow summon enough strength and courage to reach our goals. It may take several tries and at times we may lose faith, but with the support of loved ones and others sharing our path, we keep moving forward.
As much as I can’t help but care about my time (I am a runner after all), it’s everything else that keeps drawing me back to the marathon distance, and particularly to the Boston Marathon. I will be at the start line on April 21, 2014 – that is, of course, if I can get in!
Hello from Chicago! E and I arrived yesterday morning and all I can say is that I hope my race goes as smoothly as these two days have gone thus far! Our flight was very delayed and the check in lines at the airport were unreal, yet I somehow was able to check in at the first class desk which switched us onto a much better path. Our unusually friendly agent offered to put us, free of charge, onto another flight which was scheduled to leave at our original departure time. Not only did we land early, but we were also each given $250 vouchers to use on a future United flight. Apparently everyone else on the flight had been bumped from a flight that had been cancelled the night prior and we still got the reward!
Our journey into the city was quick and we had a nice reunion with my parents. We are staying with family friends about 1.5M from the marathon start, with beautiful views of the lake and all of Chicago. After a surprisingly delicious lunch that I made (my pre-marathon diet of bland, carbohydrate rich foods gets boring real fast), E and I headed to the expo. We spent a bit too much time on our feet wandering around, but it was a great expo, much larger than NYC. E got to meet one of his favorite ultrarunners, Dean Karnazes, and we both loaded up on marathon gear. I probably didn’t need FOUR different Chicago tops but I felt justified buying them, because THIS race is going to be a memorable one!
We relaxed the rest of the evening – we were both exhausted from a crazy week at school/work and the early flight. We both hadn’t run for three days and our legs felt heavy and tired – typical taper stuff, though! We crashed by 9:30pm, as my parents and their friends were out and about on the town until 1am! Talk about role reversal…!
I was a bit concerned about the weather – it really is cold here – but this morning’s 20 minute jaunt on the lake front put my mind at ease. I wore compression tights, a tank, arm sleeves and fingerless gloves – pretty much my exact outfit from NYC 2010. My hands were chilly but with the sun shining, I was sufficiently warm once I got going. I’m not quite sure I hit my MP spot on, but I felt pretty good! My throat was a bit scratchy this morning but I’m trying to ignore it – mind over matter! I practiced my new mantra – “I want it more than I fear it” – which naturally went into mental replay as I soaked up the beautiful views. It was gorgeous on the lake – so many runners out there! Definitely the Chicago equivalent of running in Central Park the day before the race!
It will be cold at the start, with temperatures in the high 30’s, but at least we won’t have to wait for hours on end like we did on Staten Island. My corral closes at 7:20am and I’d like to be inside by 7:05ish to get a good place, so I figure I’ll get there by 6:30 to have time to hit the bathroom lines. As always, that’s my paranoia – not being able to go to the bathroom when I need to before starting the race. I just keep reminding myself that in NYC, they moved us towards the start 30 minutes before the gun went off and I was completely fine.
But the REAL reason why I’m posting is to share the unexpected, awesome experience that I just had. E and I were relaxing back at the apartment and I happened to read on Twitter that Paula Radcliffe was making an appearance at Nike Chicago, less than a five minute walk away. I believe it’s the first time she’s been back in Chicago for the marathon since she set the world record here in 2002. She was supposed to speak at 1pm – we were already late and had no clue what it would be like, but we needed a walk after a big lunch and decided to check it out. As we headed out the door, I decided to grab my marathon bib – how incredible would it be to have the running legend herself sign my bib, to wear on the very course on which she made history?! Of course, I didn’t actually expect it would happen – but guess what? It did!
We had perfect timing. She started late, and the interview only lasted about 5-10 minutes. We arrived a minute or two after she began. I heard that she was originally supposed to speak elsewhere (maybe the expo?) and the location moved – perhaps that explains why there weren’t that many crowds. I mean, there were a fair number of people there, but for someone as famous as Paula, I was surprised. Many people didn’t even seem to know who she was! She gave some advice to everyone racing tomorrow – not starting out too fast, hydrating, having fun etc – and spoke a bit about “making it count” on Sunday herself with her own workout. Unfortunately she just had foot surgery – so she won’t be running the race.
I easily made my way right up to the front and as soon as she finished, asked her to sign my bib. I wanted to say something to her about how much she has inspired me or I hope she feels better soon – but instead I just grinned like an idiot as she bent over and signed my bib on her thigh and then smiled back at me and walked onwards. I was so emotional I couldn’t get any words out!
But seriously – how AMAZING is that?! My bib has been blessed! My good luck this weekend must continue – because Paula said so!! I doubt anyone else had their bibs with them – hardly anyone even had a pen – and I don’t think she was hanging around there very long. Wow. Just wow. I feel doubly inspired now to run my best tomorrow – to have a smart race and not start too fast, to believe in myself when I start to really struggle, to overcome my fears of failure and really make tomorrow count!
Good luck runners!!
How’s everyone handling this incredibly hot, first official day of summer? I’m trying to convince myself that it’s easing me into the similarly high temperatures in Rome, where I’m spending the weekend, but there’s no easing into a sudden heat advisory, is there?! Although tomorrow is supposed to be even worse, so I suppose that’s progress…
Class today felt particularly draining – I couldn’t sleep last night, lab this morning was long and hot, my quiz was harder than I expected and then I spent a few hours taking practice exams to prepare for my orgo midterm tomorrow. By the time I headed back to Manhattan in the late afternoon the temperatures were starting to soar and I was completely fried, both mentally and physically. Needless to say, the last thing I wanted to do was go for a tempo run. I hate the dreadmill, but there was no way I was going to attempt a hard session outdoors. At least the gym had AC!
But what really motivated me to quit my whining and put on my running shoes, aside from the promise of AC, was this article written by one of my Gilda’s Club runners. Mary Beth, who is a journalist as well as a member of Gilda’s Club, asked me after our first meeting if I would be willing to talk to her about the rising popularity of marathoning for an article she was writing for Salon.com. The article would also discuss her own decision to run her first marathon after enduring a grueling phase-1 clinical trial for cancer treatment. I of course said yes!
We had a really lovely chat over the weekend, and I’m really pleased with how the article came out. Funny enough, one of the other coaches she interviewed is Patti Finke, who taught my RRCA coaching certification course. I agree with everything Patti says – I certainly don’t think anyone off the street can run a marathon, but if you train properly and you have the DETERMINATION, yes I think you can do it. It pains me just how many people go into marathons poorly prepared – I remember overhearing a man tell his friend at mile eight of the Portland Marathon that he was officially in unchartered territory, since he had never run more than eight miles. That’s NOT what I meant when I was talking about proving something to yourself! That’s just plain stupid.
I have faith in my runners and in my own ability to motivate them – that is why I 100% believe they CAN do it. But WILL they do it? That depends entirely on them – because at the end of the day, there’s only so much a coach can do! It all comes down to the individual runner. You have to have the desire, as well as the discipline – not only to train but also to respect your body. And of course there are always things out of our control that happen – injuries, stomach problems, or whatever else. But yes I know my runners can do it – and I’m going to do my best to help them actually do it. 🙂
After reading that article, what excuse could I really give to skip my run? I headed to the gym and although my run was pretty crappy, I’m glad I ran. It’s going to be a low mileage week with Rome so I have to front load my training this week as much as possible!
Time to pack for Rome and start studying for my midterm – 8pm already?! Yikes. My exam is mid-day and I head to the airport directly afterwards. Unfortunately I only have 48 hours in Italy, since I have to be back for class on Monday (and yet another exam shortly thereafter), but I’m excited. I am finally seeing E, celebrating the wedding of a dear friend and last but certainly not least, taking two entire days off of studying orgo – woo-hoo!
Happy Summer Solstice everyone – and be careful if you’re running outdoors!
the fight and flight response 
