It’s been 9 days now since my last run. Monday, 10/13, my buddy Michelle and I decided to spend Columbus Day in Central Park doing our longest run before the marathon…a whopping 20 miles!
We set the entire day aside to run…well at least I did I think Michelle had grand plans of studying afterwards (she’s in graduate school earning a Ph.D. – bless her courageous heart!).
W arrived in CP around 10:30 and finished our run around 4:30…an entire 6 hours of running…but all those hills and the jogging stroller slowed us down and then there’s no water stands and stinky outhouses along the course so we had to take detours, so that’s more extra time. Then counting the walk from the train station to the park and from the park to the diner afterwards was about another 2 miles so in all we ran at least 22 miles and then some. So we’re in tip top shape for the marathon now.
I came home that night and E-man sneezed non-stop for one whole hour. I was so impressed with him he didn’t fuss one time while we were running except to eat and then he was fine again…he just hung out in the jogging stroller all day. Good thing I’m getting this in now…’cause I doubt he will be this patient for long. He’s becoming more and more energetic every day. He now stands up in his crib…and less than a week after he figured that out, he’s now trying to climb out. Poor baby just got stuck between the rods trying to climb out.
Oh and he does the cutest thing now. His daddy picked out this little entertainment center for him and it has a little walker thing attached to it that’s supposed to swivel around the entertainment center (I was ready to get him a jumper). But he loves it. I was worried because it’s not made of the highest quality. The two sides of the plastic stand had to be screwed together and the seam is too big so the walker part can’t move around the entertainment center w/out getting stuck on the seam. I was like no way he’s going to be able to move this, but his daddy had faith in him. “Look at the way he grabs onto you,” he’d say, “My son is strong!”
So the other day he’s in the little walker part, and he starts walking across the room, dragging the table behind him. Now my boy thinks outside the box, and yeah he’s strong!
But anyway he was sneezing and sneezing and has had the sniffles and a little cough all week so I’ve been keeping him inside and only taking him out for short walks to get some fresh air because he and I both go stir crazy if we’re cooped up in here for too long…speaking of stir crazy…he’s kind of loosing it right now so I’m off to put him to bed.
The big run is almost year. Yay! I can’t wait for it to be here and can’t wait for it to be over.
Oh you know what before I go, I’ve got to mention one more thing. I read this story today http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/21/BAUC13L3GQ.DTL&tsp=1. It’s about Arien O'Connell, who ran the San Francisco Nike marathon this month and even though she had the fastest time, they didn’t acknowledge her as the winner because she wasn’t running with the elite runners…such a crock of dung. So let’s give a shout out to Arien. You are the true winner and you are our hero! Please fight those stuck up bureaucrats and get what’s yours for all our sakes.
Whoever they gave the stolen first prize too, come on you know better. Arien O’Connell, you and Al Gore should get together and fight this, not just for your sakes…but for everyone…for the right of every individual in this great democracy! Stand up and protect our rights!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Half of the Marathon Completed
I’m at that point in the marathon training where I’m just done…I just want it to be over…and my buddy Michelle who’s been training with me most of the time is also at that point, so we decided to do a half marathon with New York Road Runners to get some extra support.
We started out pretty slow, running together, doing a 13-14 minute mile, but I wanted to see how far I could push myself today…not such a good idea when you are only running on the weekends and you’re so close to the big event because let’s face it I am risking injury…but I was up for some fun.
At around mile five, I ran into this really cool couple from New Jersey who are also training for the NYC marathon. They were doing this run/walk thing and as I’ve said before, I always wanted to try it. I believed it would give me more energy in the long run…literally! ;-) I also believed I would be able to run faster because I’m not just running and running and running until I can’t run any more but rather I’m running with purpose for 3-10 minutes and then getting a walk break where I get to recover and start all over again with renewed energy.
This couple was doing a run for 3 minutes and then walking for 1 minute and it worked great! I ran with them for about 5 miles…so much fun! It makes it much more interesting when you get to take walk breaks…it breaks up the monotony of running long distance. So yes it is everything I expected and more and I’m sold. I’m doing this for the marathon. In fact I think I will do the exact same time I did with this couple…run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute.
You know another thing that I love so much about running marathons and half marathons, is you get to meet new people all the time. That’s what makes it so interesting. Just when you’re feeling down and like you’ve just had enough you run into some other runners and learn something new, exchange stories and have renewed energy.
And speaking of learning, I learned a lot from this couple. They told me they learned from their coach that there’s three kinds of running paces when it comes to running marathons: 1) commuter pace, 2) warm up pace, 3) all in pace…show what you’re made of ;-)
For the commuter pace, you are running a pace that you could maintain all day. For warm up pace, you pick it up a bit, but just a bit, your still not running as fast as you can. Then for the all you got pace, that’s exactly what you do, give it all you got…go as fast as you can…we’re not talking race speed though, because you want to keep it up for a few miles. Their goal was to run commuter pace the first sixteen miles, then warm up pace for about 4 miles and then run the last 10k giving it all they got.
I do something a little similar to that but not quite. I always knew your were supposed to start out slow. Like when I did the half, I started off with my buddy Michelle because I knew we would keep a slow pace (and we’re good company for each other!). Then I did the 2nd 5 miles with this couple running at a moderate pace, picking it up a little. Then I took off at about mile 10 with my buddy Roxanne who does about an 11 minute mile.
Roxanne was always faster than me, but after I had the baby and took a break from running and she continued to run she became MUCH faster than me. I always bust my butt running with her. I ran with Roxanne for about a mile, and quickly lost my breath and had to spend the next two miles recovering.
At the finish line, I did what I love to do best. When I see that finish line in the distance I start sprinting. I mean I pick up my feet and swing those hands and run that last dash like a Kenyan to the finish line. I always feel like superwoman in that last moment. I love it!
In all it took me 2 hours, 45 minute to run the half marathon. Not the fastest race I ever did. But much better than the half marathon I did in July which took me 3 hours and 7 minutes.
What’s more important is how I felt AFTERWARDS this time compared to in July. I felt great and was able to walk back, catch up to my buddy Michelle, run back with her to the finish line (about another mile) and then walk an additional mile back to the train station. Whereas after the half in July I sat there on a stump when I crossed the finish line and waited for Rock to come pick me up and I was in PAIN and EXHAUSTED!
Also it was really hot in July whereas it was pretty cool today. But it rained for both races. Ah and as for making comparisons, this entire race took place in Central Park (lots of hills) whereas the ½ in July took place the first half in Central Park and the 2nd half on the very flat but also desolate-except-for-lots-of-cars-and-exhaust-West-Side-Highway.
But most of all I know what really killed me last time versus this time (well besides the fact that I had done 0 training for the half whereas I did a bit of training for this one). I started out with my buddy Roxanne who is much faster than me and was feeling half dead after only a mile in July whereas this time I started out with my buddy Michelle who is a bit slower than me and that was the way to go!
Note to self. Run long runs with someone a bit slower. Run short, speed runs with someone a bit faster. But at the end of the day, it’s all up to me. Me, myself and I will be running the NYC marathon come November 2. Any support or company I have will be nice, but they will not be able to run for me. My two feet will stomp out every step of those 26.2 miles throughout NYC. I’m looking forward to it.
And then comes ELECTION DAY! If you haven’t registered to vote yet, stop reading this blog and go register! Time for Change! God bless!
Oh one more thing (for those of you who have already registered to vote). Yeah, my hubby stayed home with E-man today so I wasn’t pushing the jogging stroller. It felt so nice to not have anything to push…now I see how all that training with the jogging stroller has come in handy and made me into super-woman.
And E-man and his daddy had fun hanging out together, eating real food and doing guy stuff. Oh and you know what else, I smelled that food in his diaper the next day…that’s for sure…that was one stinky diaper. But all worth it. And E-man loved the carrots…at least the part of it that went in his mouth and not all over his face, on his shirt and on his sheets…lol!
We started out pretty slow, running together, doing a 13-14 minute mile, but I wanted to see how far I could push myself today…not such a good idea when you are only running on the weekends and you’re so close to the big event because let’s face it I am risking injury…but I was up for some fun.
At around mile five, I ran into this really cool couple from New Jersey who are also training for the NYC marathon. They were doing this run/walk thing and as I’ve said before, I always wanted to try it. I believed it would give me more energy in the long run…literally! ;-) I also believed I would be able to run faster because I’m not just running and running and running until I can’t run any more but rather I’m running with purpose for 3-10 minutes and then getting a walk break where I get to recover and start all over again with renewed energy.
This couple was doing a run for 3 minutes and then walking for 1 minute and it worked great! I ran with them for about 5 miles…so much fun! It makes it much more interesting when you get to take walk breaks…it breaks up the monotony of running long distance. So yes it is everything I expected and more and I’m sold. I’m doing this for the marathon. In fact I think I will do the exact same time I did with this couple…run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute.
You know another thing that I love so much about running marathons and half marathons, is you get to meet new people all the time. That’s what makes it so interesting. Just when you’re feeling down and like you’ve just had enough you run into some other runners and learn something new, exchange stories and have renewed energy.
And speaking of learning, I learned a lot from this couple. They told me they learned from their coach that there’s three kinds of running paces when it comes to running marathons: 1) commuter pace, 2) warm up pace, 3) all in pace…show what you’re made of ;-)
For the commuter pace, you are running a pace that you could maintain all day. For warm up pace, you pick it up a bit, but just a bit, your still not running as fast as you can. Then for the all you got pace, that’s exactly what you do, give it all you got…go as fast as you can…we’re not talking race speed though, because you want to keep it up for a few miles. Their goal was to run commuter pace the first sixteen miles, then warm up pace for about 4 miles and then run the last 10k giving it all they got.
I do something a little similar to that but not quite. I always knew your were supposed to start out slow. Like when I did the half, I started off with my buddy Michelle because I knew we would keep a slow pace (and we’re good company for each other!). Then I did the 2nd 5 miles with this couple running at a moderate pace, picking it up a little. Then I took off at about mile 10 with my buddy Roxanne who does about an 11 minute mile.
Roxanne was always faster than me, but after I had the baby and took a break from running and she continued to run she became MUCH faster than me. I always bust my butt running with her. I ran with Roxanne for about a mile, and quickly lost my breath and had to spend the next two miles recovering.
At the finish line, I did what I love to do best. When I see that finish line in the distance I start sprinting. I mean I pick up my feet and swing those hands and run that last dash like a Kenyan to the finish line. I always feel like superwoman in that last moment. I love it!
In all it took me 2 hours, 45 minute to run the half marathon. Not the fastest race I ever did. But much better than the half marathon I did in July which took me 3 hours and 7 minutes.
What’s more important is how I felt AFTERWARDS this time compared to in July. I felt great and was able to walk back, catch up to my buddy Michelle, run back with her to the finish line (about another mile) and then walk an additional mile back to the train station. Whereas after the half in July I sat there on a stump when I crossed the finish line and waited for Rock to come pick me up and I was in PAIN and EXHAUSTED!
Also it was really hot in July whereas it was pretty cool today. But it rained for both races. Ah and as for making comparisons, this entire race took place in Central Park (lots of hills) whereas the ½ in July took place the first half in Central Park and the 2nd half on the very flat but also desolate-except-for-lots-of-cars-and-exhaust-West-Side-Highway.
But most of all I know what really killed me last time versus this time (well besides the fact that I had done 0 training for the half whereas I did a bit of training for this one). I started out with my buddy Roxanne who is much faster than me and was feeling half dead after only a mile in July whereas this time I started out with my buddy Michelle who is a bit slower than me and that was the way to go!
Note to self. Run long runs with someone a bit slower. Run short, speed runs with someone a bit faster. But at the end of the day, it’s all up to me. Me, myself and I will be running the NYC marathon come November 2. Any support or company I have will be nice, but they will not be able to run for me. My two feet will stomp out every step of those 26.2 miles throughout NYC. I’m looking forward to it.
And then comes ELECTION DAY! If you haven’t registered to vote yet, stop reading this blog and go register! Time for Change! God bless!
Oh one more thing (for those of you who have already registered to vote). Yeah, my hubby stayed home with E-man today so I wasn’t pushing the jogging stroller. It felt so nice to not have anything to push…now I see how all that training with the jogging stroller has come in handy and made me into super-woman.
And E-man and his daddy had fun hanging out together, eating real food and doing guy stuff. Oh and you know what else, I smelled that food in his diaper the next day…that’s for sure…that was one stinky diaper. But all worth it. And E-man loved the carrots…at least the part of it that went in his mouth and not all over his face, on his shirt and on his sheets…lol!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Nap Time
Well it’s been tough going for the last couple weeks because my running buddy Michelle has been MIA. But I’m strong! That’s what I keep telling myself and it’s what got me through 17 miles this Monday.
Actually I had a lot of fun running on Monday, 9/29. Now Let me say first, I do not at all recommend being a weekend runner. In fact I speak very strongly against this. However it’s a lot of what I’ve been doing. Last weekend I ran 13 miles on Saturday and 5 miles on Sunday and then nothing all week. In my defense it was freaking pouring all week and while I have no problem running in the rain, I do have a problem bringing my baby who already has the sniffles out there in the rain.
It rained all weekend to, so come Monday it was the first nice day and whether I felt like it or not (I did NOT) I had to get out there and do my long run. So I made it to the park by noon and did a loop, slow but steady. Then…ah this is the worst part of pushing a jogging stroller and not having a running buddy. When it comes to bathroom breaks, I have to find a bathroom in the park that is wheelchair/stroller accessible. And there is only one that I know of. So I had to run/walk/struggle/backtrack 2 miles getting ready to pee my pants to the one bathroom. Then E’man had fallen asleep but the noise of the loud toilets flushing woke him up (poor baby!). So after that I decided to take him on a fun little detour.
We stopped at the central park carousel. It was only $2 and it was so much fun. He just loved it. He just kept looking all around an you know the really cute thing. Before that he never even noticed the horses going by. But after that every time a horse rode by he pointed at it and laughed. It was just adorable. I only wish I had taken some pictures. But some moments, you just can’t stop to take a picture…you just go with it and I will always have that adorable, sweet picture in my mind.
So then on and on I continued running around and around the park. I set out to do 18, but what stopped me at 17 was it was getting dark and E-man was starting to loose it. I mean come on he hung out in the jogging stroller all day while I ran 17 miles like such a sweet, patient little guy…I think he earned the right to start fussing after 17 miles.
You know he’s been kind of fussy lately but today he went to sleep around 10:30 and he’s still sleeping and it’s almost 2pm. I can’t believe it. I was headed out the door to stop in at the office and then go for a 6 mile run in the park, but he’s fast asleep. I can’t believe it. He must have been tired. And if my baby wants sleep, he gets sleep, because believe me, he earned it. He’s the first child of a mama that’s struggling to get about three different businesses off the ground, running marathons and doing so much. He’s really such a sweet, patient boy. I am so lucky!
Actually I had a lot of fun running on Monday, 9/29. Now Let me say first, I do not at all recommend being a weekend runner. In fact I speak very strongly against this. However it’s a lot of what I’ve been doing. Last weekend I ran 13 miles on Saturday and 5 miles on Sunday and then nothing all week. In my defense it was freaking pouring all week and while I have no problem running in the rain, I do have a problem bringing my baby who already has the sniffles out there in the rain.
It rained all weekend to, so come Monday it was the first nice day and whether I felt like it or not (I did NOT) I had to get out there and do my long run. So I made it to the park by noon and did a loop, slow but steady. Then…ah this is the worst part of pushing a jogging stroller and not having a running buddy. When it comes to bathroom breaks, I have to find a bathroom in the park that is wheelchair/stroller accessible. And there is only one that I know of. So I had to run/walk/struggle/backtrack 2 miles getting ready to pee my pants to the one bathroom. Then E’man had fallen asleep but the noise of the loud toilets flushing woke him up (poor baby!). So after that I decided to take him on a fun little detour.
We stopped at the central park carousel. It was only $2 and it was so much fun. He just loved it. He just kept looking all around an you know the really cute thing. Before that he never even noticed the horses going by. But after that every time a horse rode by he pointed at it and laughed. It was just adorable. I only wish I had taken some pictures. But some moments, you just can’t stop to take a picture…you just go with it and I will always have that adorable, sweet picture in my mind.
So then on and on I continued running around and around the park. I set out to do 18, but what stopped me at 17 was it was getting dark and E-man was starting to loose it. I mean come on he hung out in the jogging stroller all day while I ran 17 miles like such a sweet, patient little guy…I think he earned the right to start fussing after 17 miles.
You know he’s been kind of fussy lately but today he went to sleep around 10:30 and he’s still sleeping and it’s almost 2pm. I can’t believe it. I was headed out the door to stop in at the office and then go for a 6 mile run in the park, but he’s fast asleep. I can’t believe it. He must have been tired. And if my baby wants sleep, he gets sleep, because believe me, he earned it. He’s the first child of a mama that’s struggling to get about three different businesses off the ground, running marathons and doing so much. He’s really such a sweet, patient boy. I am so lucky!
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