Ending on a High Note

I ran the Philadelphia Half Marathon for a charity, Best Buddies PA, this year. I'd never done that before. To be honest, the idea of asking people for money has always been difficult for me. But I thought, running for a charity would be a great way to end my 13.1 year. And it was all that and more. The people who worked for the organization were great, and the volunteers and kids that are buddies or get a buddy were wonderful as well.  The night before the race, Best Buddies PA hosted a dinner and some of the students spoke and it was really moving. I'm glad I did it.

Now onto the race. I got there the day before and get to hang out for a bit with ML and his friends R and J. There was one funny thing at the expo that R noted. If you predicted a 4 hour finish you got a corral all to yourself! Everyone else had a stretch of time 2:00:00 - 2:29:59, etc. but 4 hours was just 4 hours. Anyway, after we got our packets we went across the street to Reading Terminal Market and grabbed a sandwich - deli for them, while I went with a Philly Cheesesteak. It was warm enough for us to eat outside.

The race itself was good. I got to start right in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum, i.e. the steps that Rocky runs up and raises his hands in victory at. There were lots of yelling "Adriane" at the start and people taking pics like the one below.

it was a crowded and took me over 17 minutes to get to the start, but at the start I, and several other runners, got a high-five from the Mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter. It was crowded for the first 4-5 miles, I think because we were in downtown Philly. We got to run through some historic areas, past Betsy Ross's house, the building where the Liberty Bell is housed (and one person was dressed as the bell - it gave me an idea of next halloween), City Hall (where Occupy Philadelphia was camped out) , Constitution Hall, and the Zoo. It really was a great way to see what the city has to offer in 2 hours 22 minutes and 35 seconds.

All in all, it was a great way to end my racing season.


I forgot to turn off the garmin after I crossed the finish line. I think I was just happy to be done. I finally remembered when I got to the food line.

Next Up: Number 13

I'm headed to my last half marathon of the year today. I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to have fun and enjoy it. Savor it, if you will. I would like to finish between 2:20 and 2:15, but who knows. I did a couple of short runs this week, but for the most part I've taken most of it off.

The last time I was in Philly, I had a great time at the race and a great time in the city. MLJ won't be there, but this time ML will be. Still, I'm looking forward to eating I will do: cheesesteak at Redding Market and I would like to hit the Dandelion again. Wish me luck!

Post-Marathon Blues

So, aside from the whole no official time thing, I'm kind of sad that it's over. You work towards something for about a year and then, poof, it's over.

I've been taking the week off to recover. I thought I might try and run today, to help with the post-marathon blues, but instead I'm going to go for a walk in the park.

I'm one race away from my 2011 resolution. And I've been asking myself: then what? I know I'm going to run NYC marathon next year - where I'll wear the bib on my torso, outermost layer and (hopefully) finish in under 4:30. But otherwise, I'm drawing a blank. I'm thinking of taking up something besides running...surfing, maybe? Anyone have suggestions?

The 2011 ING NYC Marathon

Well, my legs are sore, but I'm about to go test them out on a walk. But before, I do, I thought I'd post my 2011 NYC Marathon experience for you all to see. Yes, see. I knew that I wasn't going to PR on this run (read the lowering expectations post) and decided to have fun. I took lots of pictures, some of which I sent into work. But I also got some sound. So I'm going to subject you all to an audio slideshow of my NYC Marathon experience. There was some great energy on the course, and I even saw some people I knew along the way, who cheered me on! That was fun and gave me a boost. But people were giving out swedish fish, chocolate, cookies and wipes along the course. It was really great. It was also challenging. I really didn't train as hard or as much as I should have. And the late start really did effect me. I need to learn how to eat before I run. 

Now, I've sent in an email to the marathon organizers about my no results. I really think the bib didn't register. I'm somewhat disappointed, but there is always next year. I would like to finish a marathon - this one in particular - in under 4:30.

I know, I know, I said NYC would be my last, but if I run it again, it will be my last!

5 Boroughs, 5 Bridges and 26.2 miles

I finished the ING NYC Marathon! It was a fun race, and I'll write about it later. My Garmin had me finishing in 5:16:26. I'm a little concerned because my official race results are not up - even though the scores of people behind me are up. Hmmmm.

I have a sinking suspicion that the bib tag failed me. Anyway, here's the info from the Garmin.

NYC Marathon: Packet Pick-Up

I went to packet pick-up this morning. I got there just after it opened and the line was long and snaking. But I got in got my bib in about 15 minutes time. The race shirt was nice - a blue, long sleeved shirt with all 5 boroughs named on it. But I couldn't stop myself - there were some other cute shirts that I bought. Yes, now I have a selection of NYC Marathon race shirts.

The official race shirt is on the bottom. The NY Apple shirt says 26.2011.

Lululemon's Port-a-Potty Window Display

I thought it was funny and very appropriate for Marathon Week!

Countdown to the 2011 NYC Marathon

I did a short run through Central Park this morning - the lower loop. I wanted to familiarize myself with the last few miles of the course, which I know will be the toughest for me. As you might know, there was a snowstorm that blew through this past weekend and did a lot of damage to the Park. As many as 1,000 trees were damaged.

They've put all the cleared branches to the side of the road, but it goes for quite a bit. Along Central Park South, it really does change the view from the Park. Anyway, I kept trying to imagine what I'd be feeling like at miles 24 and 25, and part of the reason I wanted to run this portion, besides keeping my runs this week short, was to really prepare myself for when I do hit miles 24 and 25. I figure at that point in the run I'll be bargaining with myself, and it's much easier for me to do when I know what's up ahead, to know that when you think you're turning to the finish, you're really not, you've still got about half a mile until you turn into the finish. I'm preparing myself mentally... until I see this:

(except I imagine it will be much more crowded). Then I will be very, very, very happy! It was fun to see the race preperation. They even built a walkway over the course on the 72nd street traverse. Now, I think it would cruel, though, to make marathoners walk up 2 flights of stairs and then down 2 flights to cross the street. I'm hoping that's for spectators. One scary thought, though, is I read it will take an hour from crossing the finish to getting out of the park. This marathon will be a full day event!. I just hope I won't need one of these at the end.

Garmin, You Served Me Well

My Garmin has died. Nothing I try gets it to work again. It had a short, but eventful life and went with me on many, many runs and races.

Do the Dash, Do the Monster Dash!

So, half marathon #12 is done. It was the Monster Dash in the Twin Cities. I ran this with SM. She was a running buddy from Washington, DC and we had run a couple of marathons down there together. She and her family moved to Minneapolis and I thought it would be fun to visit and run together.

SM had suggested the race. I had hoped, since this is a Halloween race, to dress up in costume, but as you can see. It didn't really work. Although, thanks to GF: I was a panda bear in the dark.

It wasn't the most creative costume, I admit. But it was something. I had wanted to be a bee, but couldn't get my act together in time to make one. I'm glad because bees were a popular outfit on the run. There were some really great costumes out there: pac-man and the ghosts, Sesame Street characters - including the count, angry birds, batmans and batgirls, gumby, crayons, pilots who actually gave away airplane pins to kids along the route, a mustard container - with a sign saying 'I like these buns' running next to a hot dog whose sign said 'my main squeeze.'

But my favorite was the American Gothic painting. I could never have done that. You really need arm strength for that. I could barely lift my arms by the last few miles to pump up hills, let alone carry a painting/picture frame. I don't know how that guy did it, let alone still wear the costume after the race was over! Next time, I will dress up. I think it'd be fun to do a run in costume. Granted - I did do that once - when I was the Statue of Liberty, and I learned from that experience, never wear a toga that goes down to your ankles when you're running through water, mud and over obstacles. I am still proud that the torch made it through the entire mud run intact, though.

Ok, the race report. It was 32 degrees at the start of the race. I know - St. Paul at the end of October - it shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. It was cold - cold enough to see my breath cold. We started near the Cathedral, which was really pretty. Once we started running, it was good. I was able to ditch the gloves (did take off the hood) and actually I think the cold helped me run and helped my recovery. It was a crowded field - over 10,000 runners for the half and the 10 miler. There were a lot of water stops and the route was scenic. And even with the cold, there were people out cheering. That said, the downside was the last 3 miles. The 10 milers ended and got bused to the finish, along the same route we were running. It was kind of depressing. The last 4-5 miles or so was also all highway miles - no shade and not a lot of people. It was kind of sad. We ended down the hill from the Cathedral. There was cups of water, bananas and little brown bags of sun chips and a nut roll to munch on at the end. There was also beer, but it was 36 degrees by the time we finished, and frankly, it was too cold for a beer outside in sweaty clothes. All in all, it was fun run with SM!

But I think the next time I go to the Twin Cities, I'll go in the summer!

Chili Goat Cheese

When I was in San Francisco to run the half marathon, I had this really yummy Cowgirl Creamery Green Chile goat cheese. The shop made a sandwich out of it with jelly.

Last week I was at the Union Square farmer's market and I saw a really cool chili stand. I bought one, thinking I'd use it in a stir-fry. But the more I thought about the more I wanted to try and make that cheese. So I roasted the chili (which I was roasting some acorn squash - multi-tasking - and set out some plain goat cheese I bought.

After the chili cooled, I took off the skin, took out the seeds in from inside and chopped it up. I mixed it into the goat cheese and re-set it in a log shape. About an hour later, i had some with blueberry jam atop a freshly baked biscut. It was yummy! I like the way the heat plays off the sweetness of the jam.

Anyway, instead of running, I thought I'd write about this and fulfill the eating part of this blog!

Lowering Expectations

I tried to run long on Saturday and only really made it 14 miles. I was so tired. I'm lowering my expectations for the NYC Marathon. My goal is just to have fun and enjoy the experience.

Charm City's Running Festival

I finished Half Marathon #11 this past weekend in Baltimore.

I've run this course before, and had a great time running it in 2007 with MLJ (now MLR) and SR (now SM). I knew what to expect, to a certain extent. But still, it was a bit different. The 9:45 am start felt much later than 2007, but MLR said it wasn't. They started in waves, be we couldn't really figure out where the waves starts were. We should have been in Wave 5, but I think we ended up in Wave 2. And that was still 10 mins or so after the gun went off.

I stuck with MLR, who was walking the half, for about the first 2 miles, and then I started running. I know, it's bad. But, and I can't believe I'm writing this, I like running. As one sign said, "Sweat is fat crying." There were some great signs and shirts on the course.

Now ML said she saw the little dixie cups of beer and candy that people hand out, but I must have missed them. And believe me, I was looking. That was one of my fondest memories of the race the first time. The crowds, the beer, the candy - starbursts, swedish fish, gummy bears - that spectators would pass out. I saw bits of it on the ground - twizzlers and red candies, but I never saw them. It's not because I was running fast, but because it was always so crowded. Still, they had lots of water on the course, and around the lake, they offered bananas (unlike the orange slices in 2007) and pretzels/chips.

All that negates the fact that you feel like you run uphill for most of this race. Seriously, until mile 11, I felt like was running uphill the entire time!

The only really bad part was the finish. Trying to get out of the runner's area was tough. There was a bottle neck and it was sooooo crowded.

The other thing I did wrong was, forget to reset my garmin at the end. I tacked on just under 3 miles, by running back to MLR's friend's M's house in Baltimore. I didn't notice until about half a mile in.

My chip time was 2:27:04 (which was better than my 2:36:24 from '07).

Within a Second

I noticed something today when I downloaded my run info from my Garmin. My run yesterday and today started within a second of each other. Tuesday's run began at 7:57:56 a.m. and today's run started at 7:57:55 a.m. I thought it was a freaky coincidence. Nothing else was the same. Yesterday, I felt great. Today, I felt sluggish. I was faster yesterday, not so today. I didn't bring music - so that was the same. But their was a conversation I couldn't help but overhear yesterday (they were right behind me for a good mile).

The quiet on today's run helped me organize. I realized the Baltimore Half is this weekend and I still have to make travel arrangements. I figured out today's lunch/dinner menu will be asparagus risotto. I'm going to try and hit the farmers market and library before work. And I finally updated the software on my Garmin, so hopefully that will help fix some of the issues I've been having with it.

So not a bad start to the day.

Ithaca is Gorges

This past weekend, I road-tripped to Ithaca, NY, where I visited with AA, her hubby J and their daughter J. It was a fun trip. I usually go once a year for a nice relaxing weekend and to catch up with A. A couple of years ago, J turned me onto their normal running route which is an out-and-back to a bridge/highway overpass about 3 miles away. So, now whenever I go there, I do that run.

Sunday morning, I headed out their door and up the very steep hill. You're pretty much running on an uphill to the bridge and a down hill back, but A and J live on a steep hill and I tried running up it, but usually towards the top I just give up and walk to the top.

I didn't bring my iPod with me because I forgot my headphones, so I really could enjoy the scenery. This route takes you past two scenic gorge overlooks where you can see some falls and the lake. It also takes you through Cayuga Heights - which is the pretty suburban neighborhood. What I noticed this year on the run, besides the fact that the leaves were turning, were the little brooks and streams off to the sides. It was really quite pretty.

The other active thing we all did was go on a short hike (J is only 2 years old after all) to a waterfall. It was a beautiful fall weekend for it. There were some short, small falls, but about 3/4 a mile away from the parking lot is one of the tallest falls in the continental U.S.! Apparently, hundreds of thousands of years ago that was by the lake, but it's slowly been moving back. So in another hundred thousand years it might be more of a mile hike.

Still, all I kept thinking though, was if it was summer, I'd be in the water. There were plently of places that could act as a swimming hole or better yet, you could sit down and soak your feet in the cold, clear waters of the river. Alas, it's fall. I had to content myself with the pretty colored leaves that were everywhere.

I Didn't Run This Morning...

and I kind of hate myself for it. I think it would have helped my mental well-being for the day.

Never Again...Until the Next Time

As GF reminded me, after I finished the Marine Corps Marathon I said I'd never run another marathon again. Grete Waitz won NYC Marathon nine times between 1978 to 1988. The first time she ever ran a marathon - NYC in 1978 - she not only won, she set a new world record. Afterwards, she threw her sneakers at her husband, who was the one who encouraged her to run the marathon in the first place, and said "I'm never doing that again!"

Famous last words I can relate to. Afterall, I'm training for my fourth (and hopefully last) marathon. But during my run this morning, I kept thinking of 2012 and how I don't want to have any challenges or goals. I just want to run races that I want to run. And hopefully, they'll have nice shirts to boot!

Three Bridges Run

I signed up to be an 11 min per mile pacer for a 20 mile long run. I did it so I would actually run 20 miles. I couldn't bail. So, I got to Jack Rabbits at 6:45am and at 7am we left. It was a fairly large group (I didn't think many people would show.) Of course, my Garmin was acting up It would say we were running 12:45 when in fact we were running 10:30. If you look at the mile break down, there are not many 11 min mile miles. But I had fun, even if I wasn't a good pacer.

We ran through the park, down the west side, across town via Warren Street and then crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. After, we ran through Dumbo and other Brooklyn neighborhoods to Pulaski Bridge and crossed it into Queens. And then from there to the Queensboro bridge back into Brooklyn. One of the runner's had a knee problem so I ran with her back to the store cutting a bit off of the run. (We were supposed to go back through the park, instead we ran up Lex.)

It was fun running across the bridges in a way. Not the actual bridge itself because it's usually a long, slow uphill, which I hate. But the views off of them were amazing and some had wonderful views of the Manhattan skyline. It also gave me a glimpse of what I'll be running in the NYC Marathon.

Running for a Cause

I decided to make my last run in my challenge a bit of a challenge. I'm finally doing a charity run. I chose Best Buddies PA and the Philadelphia Half Marathon. I've always wanted to run it, ever since I saw the t-shirts: Don't Tread on Me.

Luckily for me, it's fund raising goal is reasonable - $750. If 50 people donate $15 or 38 people donate $20 or 30 people donate $25 or 25 people donate $30 or 13 people donate $50, I should be good. It's also a low enough amount that if I'm short I can cover it.

I'm Short!!!!

Thanks to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene, I'm short on my goal of 13.1 for the year.

1. Manhattan Half (Jan) 2:28
2. Austin Half Marathon (with JC in Feb)
3. National Half Marathon (with TK in Mar)
4. 13.1 NYC Half Marathon (not to be confused with the NYC Half Marathon, which I did not get into this year) (Apr)
5. More Half Marathon (Apr)
6. Still have to find one for May ODDyessy Half Marathon in Philly with MLJ (May)
7. Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon (Jun)
8. North Face Endurance Half Marathon DC (June - I still have to sign up for it) I never signed up for this. As much as I want the arm warmers, after the two halfs in one weekend in April, I cannot bring myself to do that again. Plus Post Hunt is that day, as is MW's 1st birthday party....oh and I have to work.
8. See Jane Run (Seattle in July)
9. San Francisco Half Marathon 1st half route (July)
10. Bronx Half Marathon - canceled due to Irene
10. Run to the Beat (London - Sept)
11. Baltimore Half Marathon (Oct)
12. Monster Dash (Oct)
My ".1". ING NYC Marathon (Nov)
13.???????

It's hard to find a race at the end of the year. And with my weekends getting booked up, I don't know what to do. There is an Annapolis Inaugural Half on Nov 19 that I'm leaning toward. Philadelphia Half is sold out, as is Big Sur. I might look international, but I doubt I can swing that financially. There was also a possible race in St. Pete's, Fl, but you all know how I feel about Florida - Hot, Humid, Hate it.

A Good Excuse to Visit London

I ran my 10th Half Marathon of the year....in London! I ran the Run to the Beat: London's Music Half Marathon. That just meant every mile or so there was a DJ, some of whom were really good. I still ran with my headphones on though, and for a change the ear buds stayed put.

I was supposed to do a long run, so I padded my run both before and after the half. I ran a little over a mile from the hotel to the Thames Clipper, where I got a ride to the race start at the O2.

Now I've done one other foreign race before (Dublin), but this was by far the weirdest race. Instead of bibs you got a race T-shirt with your number on it. So, you had to wear the race shirt. It was a sea of purple, and I stood out like a green thumb. I was cold and planned to keep my green jacket/vest on, so they had to hand write a bib for me.

The runners were put in pens, and these pens had aisles that snaked. I felt like I walked a mile just inside the pen! It took over 13 minutes from the race start for my pen to even begin moving. I didn't cross the start until 20 minutes or so after the start gun went off. That was quite frustrating. And then I ended up running .2 miles to the start.

There was no water until after mile 3. It turned out to be a warm and sunny day, and between mile 2 and mile 3, all I kept thinking about was water. It was quite funny actually, since were running near the River Thames.

It was a pretty course. We passed by Millennium Park, Royal Arsenal, Royal Artillery Barracks, Royal Observatory Greenwich, and the National Maritime Museum (which looked really nice), ran through some quaint parks and towns, and then finished right back where we start at the O2, this ode to modern architecture, if ever there was one. Not just the O2, but the other building nearby, which were really interesting.

But one thing I noticed was that the mile 10 sign was at 9.7 - according to my Garmin - in fact we finished at just under 13 miles by Garmin.

At the end of the race, I got a bottle of water, and that was it. There were no food tables. At Dublin, we got a little lunchbox, but granted that was a full marathon. What they had instead were these food trucks: crepes, candy, fish and chips, and burgers. You had to pay for them, of course. It was interesting. I got a fish, cause I needed something post race. It was really greasy.

Now I thought I'd run from the O2 to London Bridge, but the course was under repair, and I didn't. Instead I got off at London Bridge and ran from there back to the hotel. Well, I ran 2 miles and then walked a mile. So all in all, I covered 17 miles (17.5 if I count the time getting to and weaving through the pen. Not too shabby. Now it's tea time with GF!

Recovery Run?

I've always found the concept of a recovery run to be a bit of an oxymoron. Running to recover from my long run? It still doesn't compute in my brain. Yesterday morning (the real day after my long run) I did end up walking from Union Square to my house on 71st via the High Line.

That means instead of just heading north, I went west, before heading north east. Basically I walked all around Manhattan. So my legs were really tired yesterday. But this morning, I felt great on my run. I thought I was sluggish, but my time said otherwise. So afterwards, I treated myself to a recovery drink, "chocolate milk," and a buttermilk biscut.

I can't tell you how great this biscut is - light, moist, flakey goodness. I also love the fact that I have an excuse to buy and drink chocolate milk (because if you don't have a kid, it just seems strange), but Runner's World said it was a good recovery drink, and by God I'm sticking with it!

Around and Around and Around Again

As usual my intentions and what happened - two totally different things. I intended to wake up early and go running down to Battery City Park and back and then finish with FITNESS 4 miler race. What I did was hit the snooze button...a couple of times... watched a little TV and then went to the 4 miler (where you could have won something from Birkenstock...if the line wasn't prohibitively long). After I crossed the finish line, I ran for another 12 miles. I ran around the park. I did a loop 3 times and stopped at cafe near the start of the race.


I didn't vary it, although I thought about it. Instead, I chose the consistency of the route. It was fun though, on each lap I saw something news. Towards the end, there was some sort of German Day festival going on. A lot of people in lederhosen, it was kind of scary. I thought I should be in a Grimm's fairy tale.

I got back home around 1:30 and found out I chaffed in places I don't normally. It's not a good thing. Finally went out to get something to eat around 3. Luke's Lobster and Little Red Rooster bakery. Good post long run meal.

But I am so tired. My legs hurt and I can't seem to drum up any energy to do anything. Sleep time.

Getting in a Groove?

Slowly but surely I'm being more consistent with my running. Given the fact that the marathon is 2 months away, it's a good thing. Better late then never, though, right? I ran 2 miles on Tuesday, a little over 4 miles on Wednesday (I forgot to restart my garmin after a water break, so I'm not sure what the end total was, but it was 4 when I finished), and 5.5 miles today.

I think I'm going to give myself a rest day tomorrow (or do some cross training) and rest up for my long run Saturday. I'm aiming for 16, but you can take bets/guesses on how long it really will be.

Excuses, Excuses

Another day, another bagged run. I was going to go and meet the NYRR morning group run, but when I woke up, it still looked rather dark, so I said to myself, 'To Hell, with it. I'll run later.' It's later and I haven't run. I slept, answered some emails. I'm about to go out and get the last of my apt supplies. What I'm not doing today is running.

How Many Miles Will I Run?

I had to do my long run on Saturday for a couple of reasons. The main reason was that I wasn't sure how open the roads would be in Lower Manhattan on Sunday, and I wanted to do the West Side route again. I always wanted Sunday to be a relaxing day in general. So, I set my alarm early for Saturday morning,even though I didn't get to sleep until after midnight.

I hit the snooze button a couple of times and then just shut off the alarm. When I woke up, it was about 8:30. I used work to procrastinate some more, so by the time I got out for my run it was 11am. The question was how many miles would I do. I was hoping for at least 10, I was shooting for 11 miles. According to the training plan, I should be at 16 miles. I'm not.

I ran across Central Park, through the Upper West Side to Riverside Park, and then headed south. It really is a pretty route . It was a gray day, and it started to rain a pit -- no downpour, but enough to cool me off.

Unlike last week, there was a lot of fun activities that I hadn't noticed. There was free kayaking! (Guess what I'm going to try and do next week!) But as you can see, I got to run through some nice areas. You can get off the pavement and run through areas like this on the left, or run up and down piers and get a great view of the Hudson, which I admit, does not look very inviting.

But I ran. And I ran. I passed by the cruise ship terminal, ran past 42nd street, Chelsea Pier, the Highline, and was well on my way to Battery City Park when I looked at my Garmin and found myself at mile 6. I thought about running all the way down and then taking the subway up, but instead I decided to run back.

I used a lookout point of old piles (columns that hold piers up) that's supposed to represent stars as my turn around and ran back.

It was fun, until I got to the hill back up to Riverside Park. I ran up about a two-thirds and walked up the rest. Hopefully, one day I will be able to run up that hill.

When I finally got back into Central Park, I realized I was feeling better than I thought I would. So, I turned south and hit mile 11. And from there I continued until I hit mile 12. It was fun, because when I was a done I was about two block from the 3rd Avenue Street fair. So I ended my run with a lemonade and a chicken chipotle taco!

Westside Running Path

My friend DM, who is training for the Avon Walk for the Cure, takes a camera with her on her long training walks. She takes great pictures of flowers, signs, fun things she sees along the way. Yesterday, I wished I had a camera with me.

I did a long run (shorter than what I should have done, but still got mileage) that mainly consisted for running down the westside of Manhattan.

I've done this before during the New York City half marathons, but I ran on the Westside highway, not the path. So, it was an eye-opening experience for me. I got to see all the piers that jut into the Hudson and that are made for sitting and staring out. There were great little sculptures and seating areas all throughout. And as I approached lower Manhattan, I had great views of City Hall, the new Frank Gehry building, and the Freedom Tower. I wished I had a camera with me to take pictures of it all!

Next week, when I actually run longer, I will try and bring a camera with me. Or maybe I'll just walk one day for the fun of it!

Planning My Long Run

I did a short run today and all I could really think about is how I don't want to do laps of Central Park for my long run tomorrow. I'll have to come up with a route. My project for the day!

Hurricane Irene? More Like Hurrican't (on the UES)

I've got a fair bit of running in during the last few days. On Saturday, I decided to go for a short run (probably around 3.5) in Central Park before Hurricane Irene hit. I wasn't alone. There were a lot of people running, biking, walking, or taking carriage rides around the park. It was gray and cool, with a sprinkle or rain for about five minutes but that was it. I should have gone longer, but I didn't.

On Monday, I did, but not by much.

I do a lot of running in Central Park, but I've never run around Central Park - until Monday morning, that is. I decided to try it. I kept the park to my left and just went around. It's a (much) flatter course that inside the park. But, the sidewalk is made up of these hexagon-shaped paving stones, that are actually not that fun to run on. I really had to watch my step. And when I hit the southeast corner of the park, my Garmin lost satellite, again. I'm really fearing for the health of my Garmin!

Today's run was a run around the Resevoir. When I lived in DC, my go-to run was running from home to the Washington Monument and back. I'm thinking the Resevoir is going to end up as my go-to run. I need one.

Run Around the Park

I got my lazy butt out of bed this morning and ran. I was going to keep it short: 3 miles. But I got into a groove. That's not to say that at mile 3 I hadn't wished I had gone with a shorter route. But it was a beautiful day: sunny and cool. There were a lot of people in the park and in my head I could see the run route that I wanted to do and I did it.

It also makes me feel less guilty about all the eating I have been doing as of late. There's a great sandwich shop near work called Alidoro's. I'm thinking of going through the entire menu. The sandwiches are huge - it can be lunch and dinner! I also found The Birdbath Bakery near work. The cookies are ssooooooo good. In fact, I think on my way into work today, I'm going to get a cookie!

Like Old Times

I was in Washington, DC this weekend for a wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and MLJ and PR seemed really happy! It was a quick trip down (arrived late Sat morning and left late Sunday afternoon). But I did manage a run with TK Sunday morning.

We were supposed to run our classic Run to Work run, stopping at the Dupont Circle Farmer's market. However, I made the mistake of checking with WMATA's trip planner, only to see that Medical Center was not showing up. So we made a last minute change and met at the Bethesda start of the Capitol Cresent Trail (7 miles). We've not had good luck with this trail in the past, but we were in luck and managed to meet, not get run over the cyclists or slowed down by slower runners/walkers. The beauty of this trail is that it's a slow, gradual incline.

It was fun to catch up and since I haven't found running buddies in NYC...yet (fingers crossed) and it was nice to have an excuse not to hit the snooze button. Although, I don't recommend scheduling an early morning run the night after a wedding. Lesson learned. But T and I discussed the lure of the snooze button, and one that we've both been using too much of late, especially since we both have a half marathon this weekend. I'm going to try and be better about it.

We ended the run at Baked and Wired (my favorite bakery/cafe in DC) and then walked to the farmer's market.

A wedding, a run, and catching up with friends. It made for a great weekend!

Who Knew? I Started My Run in the East River

I love my Garmin. I've raved about it. The fact that it automatically breaks down your run for you in miles (how much time it took you to run each mile), how it does elevation, and that it maps your run for you.

Since moving to NYC, I've found that my Garmin has been taking a lot of time to find the satellites. A lot. I did a run to the East River from my place and it took about 10 minutes to locate, and even then I stood on the pedestrian overpass for a couple of minutes in the rain. As you can see, that run had me starting in the East River and running through blocks.


I was hoping it was a one-time deal, but my run this morning, at least while I'm on city streets, has me running through some buildings, as well.


I'm trying to focus on the positive: it mapped my run well in the park.

Going Against the Flow

For today's run in Central Park, I thought I'd go in a clockwise direction. Apparently, I was only one of a handful that chose that route because everyone else seemed to be running or biking in the counterclockwise direction. But my choice did give me an opportunity to look at all the different race shirts out there. It's this little thing I do once in awhile. If I like the shirt, I'm usually tempted to run the race. However, in reality, if I sign up for race it means the shirt won't be nice. For example, this year's SF Marathon shirt. Cool design, orange color. I'm not a color orange fan.

There were a lot of NYRR race shirts out there. I saw two NYC Half Marathon shirts (but of which I own and love) from the first two years I ran it. I saw a shirt from Portugal, from DC (the Parkway Classic, which is a popular run in the DC area that I never ran, usually with a cool shirt), a few Ironman shirts, a Florida race shirt, a Colorado, and I added a Seattle running shirt into the mix. All in all, a great start to a Tuesday.

First Run as a New Yorker

This morning I had my first run as a resident of NYC! I walked to the park hoping my Garmin would located. It didn't. In fact, it was low on battery and turned off mid-way through my 3.2 mile run. I ran north to the Reservoir and then ran around and headed back to meet K and her husband M for brunch. It was a nice, easy run. I felt tired, though. No more excuses. NYC Marathon is right around the corner.

I Left My Running Sneaks in San Francisco

This past weekend I ran the 1st Half of the San Francisco Marathon. There was a lot to love about this race, starting with the fact that my hotel was across the street from the start (and also the finish of the full marathon/bus drop off location for the 1st half). I was able to roll out of bed about 30 minutes before I was due at the start. If only all races could be like that! They had these blue globe lanterns at the start that I thought were beautiful. It's what I'd love to put up if I were having a backyard BBQ. The race was in eight waves, and I was in wave six. I should have started later. Since the See Jane Run, I hadn't run at all. The weather in DC was in the triple digits and then I got sick. But the race course eased me into things. The start is fairly flat. It follows the Embarcadero through Fisherman's Wharf and the Marina. From there we ran through Crissy Field and slowly started to climb into the Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge.

I loved running across the Golden Gate Bridge. Forget the fact that it was an out and back and crowded the entire way, it was still awe-inspiring! To see the towers rising up ahead and the Marin headlands to one side and the Bay to the other was breath-taking! The really great thing about the bridge was that when we were done, we were at mile nine!

Unfortunately for me, this is where hilly San Francisco kicked my in the butt. Up and down, up and down. My legs and lungs couldn't take it. Still, I managed to finish in under 2:30, with a time of 2:26:46.

I'm thinking about doing the 2nd Half of the SF Marathon next year. They've introduced something called the Half It All Challenge: If you run the 1st Half Marathon and the 2nd Half Marathon in two consecutive years, you pick up a special Half it All Challenge Medal at the finish line. The 2nd half goes through the Haight and the Mission. Hmmm, it's something to think about.

See Jane Run While Avoiding Thorn Bushes

This weekend was Half Marathon #8: See Jane Run in Seattle, WA. As usually, I had a great time in Seattle meeting up with friends and family. I even did a hike the day before the race. AK took me to Rattlesnake Ridge. It was just under 4 miles and when the clouds/fog cleared we got some great views. It was fun seeing all that lush greenery. And even on an overcast day this trail was crowded!



But the main attraction of the weekend was the Half. There were some great things to like about the run. The course takes you around Lake Union, you get to run across a couple of bridges, the weather and the other runners were really great and the post-race festivities were nice. Unfortunately, this race was also a bit disorganized from a runner's point of view. At packet pick-up I asked if there was a course map, and a volunteers said it was in my bag. It wasn't. There were under 10 port-a-potties for 2500 runners, most of whom were women. The line was so long. Gas Works Park, this cool park on the north side of Lake Union was the start and the finish of the race. There is limited parking and mass transit and the organizers did not arrange for a shuttle. When I asked people at the race how I could get back to downtown, it took four volunteers before I got an answer. Ultimately, another runner gave me a ride back to the hotel. She was really nice and friendly, and said getting a cab in that area would be hard and then offered me a lift back (she was going through town). The course itself was pretty but we were running on local trails which means people other than See Jane Run runners were using it. It also means (for the out and backs) it got very crowded. If that wasn't bad enough, in certain parts, the trail had these thorn bushes, some with really large stems jutting out into the path. I watched one runner narrowly avoid getting a faceful of thorns. There were also some unpleasant smells on this course -- exhaust, which you expect at any urban race, sewage or fish guts ( I don't know what it was, just that it was horrible), and coffee (which makes me want to throw-up). The chocolate and champagne weren't enough to make up for the minuses of this race. That said I ran the race in 2:17:32 according to my watch. (I forgot to pack my garmin), but my official chip time was 2:22:13 (which included one potty-break. If you're asking why, I refer you to the lack of port-a-potties at the start.)

Early Morning Run

It's supposed to get into the three-digits tempreture range today. So, it was a good thing that JW and I agreed to meet for an early morning run. It was fun. I hadn't run with JW in awhile and it's always good to catch up and exercise at the same time. But event at 6am it was rather warm outside.

My friend, ML, did his long run (16 miles) yesterday morning, starting at close to 9am. He said it was not a fun run, but I marvel that he ran at all. If I hadn't agreed to meet JW, I would have been fast asleep in my nice air-coniditoned studio all morning.

Just the Sound of My Keys

This morning, after my long, boring 12 hour work shift, I decided to go for a run. I hadn't run in awhile and, let's face it, it's cool-ish at 5:45 in the morning. But aside from donning my running gear and hat, I didn't take much else with me. No ipod, no Garmin, no plain old watch. Only my keys which jangled in my skort pocket and created an off-key beat for me. I noticed things I hadn't before. For example, my stride: how it's short and when I lengthen it I get much more power. I noticed that when the early morning light hits the Washington Monument it gets this beautiful pinky golden glow, whereas the Lincoln radiates a brown butter tone. It was fun not checking to see how fast I was going (or not going which is the case with me).

But the run also reminded me that I have to step up the training. The ING New York Marathon is less than four months away!

Running In Rock Creek

When I first started doing the Pacer's Fun Runs, the course they ran was this out-and-back in Rock Creek to Calvert Street. I decided to do that, but instead of the out-and-back, I turned it into a loop. A loop with a hill in the middle. I ended up walking most of that hill, but it was a fun loop. Rock Creek was shaded and there were plenty of people around. I got to run through Woodley Park and Adams Morgan and do mental good-byes to those areas. And it was a nice 4 mile loop. Granted, it should have been about 6 miles longer, but I wasn't carrying any water with me and while it was only in the high 70s, it was still humid and sunny.



Now in honor of the 4th, I'm baking a cake that I will decorate like a flag and take to work tonight. Yep, working tonight and at Brew at the Zoo!

Running Past 4th of July Preparations

Instead of the long run I should have done today, I did a short run down to the Washington Monument and back. Despite an early morning thunderstorm, it was humid outside, and that did not make for a pleasant run. Still as I got closer to the Mall, I could see all the gates and stages up in preperation for 4th of July day festivities. It was fun. What was not fun was dodging toursits. Oh Tourists, I shall not miss you!

The Meaning of Running

I saw this in The New York Times and thought it was funny! When you say "run" in DC, I think it's this type of running that comes to mind.

Little Runs Here and There

It's been a busy and eventful few weeks. I've been running, but it's been 3 milers here and there. I've been trying, at least, to get to the Pacer's Run Club once a week and am trying to meet up with a run coach to help with marathon training in July. My schedule is such that finding the time to run is a bit difficult. But I can't slack off. I did 7 miles this morning with T -- it was fun, but I was slow and plodding. At least I remembered to bring some water. It's been warm these last couple of weeks. Warm and humid. Last night's run was like swimming, until we got to th epark and it started to cool off.

Sun, Run, and...Wine

4 June 2011 - (Loudoun County) What's better than running 13.1 miles on a sunny, cool day? How about adding some wine into the mix. Yesterday, was the inaugural Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon. Almost 2,000 runners, including myself and JM, started the race at Breaux Vineyards. The course snaked through wine country, passing estates, ranches, farms, and even a stretch of road mid-way through the race that had a canopy of trees overhead and had hard dirt and gravel under our feet. There were gently rolling hills, as well as some sharp, steep uphills. The last few miles of the course had little shade and felt very uphill-y. All in all, it made the finish line at Doukenie Winery a most welcomed sight.

This was the inaugural Virginia Wine Country Half. Except for a 30 minute delay in the start, it was a well run event (pun intended). Packet pick-up was smooth, everything was clearly marked and labeled, and transportation back to the start went well. The post-run food and activities were fun. They gave out Reidel wineglasses as well as a finisher's medal that had a wine cork stopper. Granted it won't fit in my refrigerator if placed atop a bottle of wine, but it's nice to have the option!

I started with the 2:15 pace group, but then broke away for a bit. It was only when I stopped for the Port-a-Potty, that the pace group passed me. Still, I wasn't to far behind. My chip time was 2:16:24, but my watch time (which didn't include my bathroom break) was even closer to 2:15.

The Three H's

Hazy. Hot. Humid. We're approaching (and on some days we're there) summer weather, complete with late afternoon thunderstorm. It takes even more motivation than usual to get me running. Last week, it was the thought of Pitango Gelato after the run. Today it was the chocolate milk that was waiting for me when I got home. But I also enjoying running to see new parts of town or explore a town when I travel. That's what I did Sunday morning in Fredericksburg, VA. SA and AA got married Saturday night and LC, AM and I stayed the night. It was a beautiful ceremony and everything was in walking distance of one another: the hotel, the church, the reception, and the bar for the after party. We got to see a lot of historic Fredericksburg. It was cute and quaint. I got up early on Sunday morning, donned my running gear, and hit the pavement. I asked the front desk for a good running route, which they provided happily. It's one thing I've noticed about hotels is they usually have a running route map all ready for you. The route I ran was down through the historic downtown and onto the canal trail. There was water on one side of the pat and on the other parkland. I got to cross a couple of bridges across the canal. It was shady and a good pick-me up. I was tired from the late night.

Half Marathon #6: Or the Most Fun I've Had at a Half

22 May 2011

Unsurprisingly, at 6:13am it was overcast and chilly while runners waited to board the MegaBus to take us to the race start. I knew the ODDyssey Half Marathon would be a different race from most when I noticed a group of Wonder Women, Jack Sparrow and a bride and groom in the crowd waiting to board. The organizers of the race encouraged costumes and many of the runners complied. At the race site there were more people dressed up -- vikings, the Incredibles, some flowers, Crayola crayons, Wills and Kate...even the King, Elvis that is, donned running shoes this morning.

The course was actually quite pretty and scenic. We started at Memorial Hall Green and ran around the area for about three miles before descending into West River Drive along the Schuylkill River. The only strange part of the start was that we had to cross the finish line before we actually finished. I saw the banner, and as I ran under it at mile 3, I think, I thought this is the shortest (and fastest) half marathon I've ever run! Then after a few more turns we went down a nice long hill (more on that later).

Running along the river was beautiful. As we headed south, you could see boat houses on the opposite shore and the city of Philadelphia topped with low hanging clouds in the distance. Even the highway to the right couldn't take away from that great city view. At the turnaround point was a volunteer dressed in a bright orange penitentiary suit, a good substitute for a cone, if you think about it. We then headed north. Again, we stayed along the river, there were lots of water stops, if not a lot of cheerers, and the organizers also had a lot of things for runners to do along the way. Typically you just run hopping to get a good time, or just finish. The first thing I noticed was a costume corner. You could stop and dress up and get your picture taken. I didn't stop. I did stop at the "obstacle course." It was an adult-sized bouncy castle type structure. You had to dive in as far as you could, weave your way around buoys, climb a ladder, and the slide down. I went through with the Angry Birds runners! It cost me a few minutes, but it was fun! Then a mile down was the water balloon stations. Two guys were throwing water balloons near the runners or,
if a runner asked for it, at the runners. It was a bit of childhood whimsy thrown in that I really appreciated. If it were a warmer day, I think I would have liked it more! You got to pass by the water balloon station twice -- once on the way out and then again on the way back. Also on the way back, was a Jegna-like station. Large wooden block, like the ones I played with at school, were put in a tower and runners were encouraged to stop and pull one out and place it on top. If you pulled the block with the word winner on it, you would win a gift certificate. When I stopped, I asked what happens if I tip it over. "Nothing, but please don't." I didn't! I didn't win either, but at least I wasn't the runner to send the tower toppling! I knew I was close to done when I hit the hill.

The nice long downhill an hour and a half earlier became a nice, long uphill. It was a cruel way to end a race, but I had such fun along the course with the activities and the views that I almost didn't mind. Luckily the finish was a few minutes away and that was the thought that got me through. The race clock flashed my name as I crossed, there were nice snacks, a pint glass and recovery ale ready for me, and the MegaBus ready to take me back to downtown Philly. All in all, a good race. I finished in 2:19:21, chip time. I got a late start with my watch but it had 2:18 and change.

MLJ, who came with me to do the ODDyssey Half, walked the course and didn't have as much fun. The obstacle station was deflated, the water balloons, even the snacks and pint glasses were being packed away when she finished. The organizers gave a deadline of four hours to finish the race, and MLJ finished well within that time. I felt bad for her. But MLJ said she had fun and I think our sightseeing around Philly made-up for the less than stellar treatment of half marathon walkers got at the end

Lululemon Run Club

It's been awhile, but I went to the lululemon run club. It's a little larger than Pacers, and because of that this group has runners of all speeds. I'm still in the back, but I'm not the only one in the back. One thing has changed since I last ran with lululemon and this is they've started a new group: 5 mile moderate. I thought was was going to run three miles, but I decided to go with the moderate paced group (which was still faster than me).



It was fun. And I managed to run without music.

Speaking of which, I need to update my playlist. I've found some new music, one of which is the group Airborne Toxic Event. It's a group with a great beat (not techno/dance beat but more alternative/post-punk), has a viola player as a member, and also plays with a string quartet on occasion!

Tomorrow is cupcake class.

Update to My 13 Halfs

My list of half marathons has changed:

1. Manhattan Half (Jan) 2:28
2. Austin Half Marathon (with JC in Feb)
3. National Half Marathon (with TK in Mar)
4. 13.1 NYC Half Marathon (not to be confused with the NYC Half Marathon, which I did not get into this year) (Apr)
5. More Half Marathon (Apr)
6. Still have to find one for May ODDyessy Half Marathon in Philly with MLJ (May)
7. Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon (Jun)
8. North Face Endurance Half Marathon DC (June - I still have to sign up for it) I never signed up for this. As much as I want the arm warmers, after the two halfs in one weekend in April, I cannot bring myself to do that again. Plus Post Hunt is that day, as is MW's 1st birthday party....oh and I have to work.

My additions:
8. See Jane Run (Seattle in July)
9. San Francisco Half Marathon 1st half route (July)
10. Still looking for August
11. Run to the Beat (London - Sept)
12. Baltimore Half Marathon (Oct)
My ".1". ING NYC Marathon (Nov)

Only two half-marathons left to choose!

How Not to Make Whoopie Pies

I've spent months finding baking recipies I've wanted to try and I finally found time to make one of them: Chocolate Stout Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies. It was not what I would call a resounding success. But take a look for yourself!



If I ever try this again, I promise I'll write a script and not do the audio on the fly.

Yesterday's run was theraputic. Some parts of Thursday were incredibly frustrating and it carried over through Friday. This short run with T got me outside and enabled me to release some (not all) of it. On the positive side, it helped me go faster!

No Running Where There's Lots of Running

I run around the Mall a lot. In fact, I'm doing it tonight. There are certain places you're not supposed to run. For example, to get to the Tidal Basin path, I run through about 40 feet of the FDR Memorial. That's a no-no.


A Park Ranger once stopped me and T from running those 40 feet. Another place you're not supposed to run is up the steps of the Lincoln Monument, where T and I ran past just a couple of weeks ago. It was early morning, there were only a few tourists around, and there were even two security guard looking types at the top. And of course, there were other runners, some of whom were running down the steps. T and I took this opportunity to run up! It was fun. A very Rocky moment at the top where we lifted our arms, and in my case, the Rocky theme song was going through my head. (Getting Stronger, not Eye of the Tiger) And it was a great moment. The sun was going through the columns in such a way that it illuminated good ol' Abe, but left the the sides in the shade.

I've been focused so much on the running part of this blog, you might have forgotten why I actually started running in the first place....to eat! I did some baking today and that shall be my next post.

As for whether I ran the other day or not. The answer is here.

Motivation or Get Your Butt Off The Couch

A beautiful day should, by itself, be more than enough motivation for me to go out and run. I've been doing this awhile now. I enjoy it enough to keep doing it. But actually getting out the door has always been a problem for me. I know I should run. I know I have to run to prepare for my upcoming races. I JUST DON'T WANT TOO!!!!!

Right now, I'm having the debate I always have:
Devil: You're not meeting anyone to run. It's not like you're letting anyone down.
Angel: It's good for you, and, if you really want company, the Pacer's Running Group is at 7pm!
Devil: That group always runs faster than you. You're the little pig that got left behind.
Angel: That's not true. Someone always stays with you --
Devil: Yeah, you ruin another person's run!
Angel: You give someone else an excuse to run slowly.
Devil: There's ice cream in the freezer! Yummy, chocolaty ice cream.
Angel: All the more reason to run!
Devil: Hasn't your ankle been hurting?

You get the picture. So will I run? I guess we'll all find out in about 30 minutes.

Japan Day Run

Today was a perfect day for a run in Central Park: sunny, cool, good positive energy. Although, I wasn't feeling so hot, to be honest. My mom made my these Korean buns for breakfast and I couldn't say, "No, I'm about to head on a run." I ate and an hour later I could feel the buns slowly expand in my stomach as the race progressed. But despite that, I still managed to PR! Four miles in 37:40.


I even did one mile in under 9 minutes. I actually feel like I've earned my pink bib. It was worth the very short visit home (which, sadly, I spent sleeping since I was transitioning back to days).

On a serious note, NYRR has done a Japan Day run for a couple of years now, at least that I've noticed. This year they collected on-site donations to support earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. That's not all. They are doing a virtual Run/Walk to Benefit Japan. Between 1 May and 22 May, you have to run or walk four miles and just submit your result using a Garmin/Nike+/mapmyrun/etc. I signed up and am hoping to best the race pace I did today, but I doubt it will happen. Still, it will be fun to compare my Central Park 4-miler to the Mall 4-miler.

There was one funny thing of note. As I was driving over the GW bridge into NYC, there were hundreds of cyclists on the other side of the bridge heading into NJ! It was the starting (and end) point for the Gran Fondo New York Bike Race -- just a little 100 mile bike ride. At least I'm not that crazy!

Volunteering at the ACLI Capital Challenge

This rainy and cold morning I woke up at 5:15am, got my running clothes on and looked for a cab. Then I remembered, I'm in DC and finding a cab would be difficult. Still, I waited for five minutes and then ran to Haines Point. I was going to be a parking volunteer at the ACLI Capital Challenge. It's a fun race idea. It's a three mile race for teams representing Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches of the federal government and the media.

It was a nice run down to the start, about 3 miles. But I was assigned to the parking lot that people forgot. I basically stood around in the cold rain for an hour and a half to direct 6 or 7 cars to park. Still, someone had to do it, right? But instead of heading to the start of the race and watching the runners finish, I decided to run home. I was cold, wet and tired.

A Run to Clear the Mind

It was a busy weekend at work so I didn't really run. When I woke up this afternoon, I remedied that with a quick afternoon run. I thought I'd only do 3 miles, but turns out I stretched it to 4 in about 45 minutes. It was fun and helped clear my mind. I was trying to figure what to do regarding my future housing: to buy or not to buy, that is (or was) the question. On my run, it occurred to me that I wouldn't mind if I lost out on the apartment. It's a sign that I should not buy. I just feel bad because my realtor, K, has done a lot of work with me. But I think I've come to a good place with my decision.

Running Home

My running buddy T will run into work from her home in Bethesda. Every once in awhile I'll join her for most of the running, usually cutting away when we reach my street. So this morning, I got up at 5:45 am (did not turn on any royal wedding news) and eventually made my way via metro to Medical Center. From there we ran.



It's a nice running route, when I think about it. It's hilly for the first 2 miles, but after that it's flat or downhill. In total the run for me was 8.56 miles over the course of 1:30:34, but according to my Garmin, I was moving for 1:28:53. I guess I didn't stop my watch at a couple of lights. And this morning was a beautiful day for a long run. It was cool, with a slight breeze, and sunny. I think I'm tired enough to take a "nap" before I head into work later this evening.

Still, I've got to work on my speed.

As a post-run treat, I finally opened my jar of Speculoos Spread from Wafels & Dinges. It's yummy on a hot, fresh waffle. But it's was almost as good on toast. But, frankly, I think the spread would be great straight out of the jar!

Running in the Rain

Yesterday's run was short, but at least we ran. There was a tornado watch in effect and threatening clouds on the horizon, but T and I ran. It didn't start raining until we headed back. It wasn't a downpour, in fact, I'd call it a sprinkle. By then the raindrops were refreshing. The Mall wasn't completely deserted either. There were other runners and tourists on the paths, just less than usual. T and I didn't run in any snowstorms this year, so the tornado watch is this year's "We're Bada$$ Runners" award winner! (Although, it's also tied for the "You're Crazy" award and "Good Excuse to Hang Up the Sneakers and Head for the Bar" award.

Run, Run, Walk

At 8am this morning, I went to meet up with the Marathon Training group. I wasn't going to do the entire run, but I wanted to see if a) people showed up, b) if the person organizing showed up, and c) how fast the group was going to run. A nice group of about six people were there, the woman leading the run was there, and they run faster than me. I was able to stick with them from the store to the White House, but then I began to lag.

So this is my dilemna, do I want to run with people who are that much faster than me? In the long-run I will get faster, but it's getting to that point that I would find frustrating. I don't like the idea of holding back a faster runner, but I don't want to burn myself out trying to keep up with a faster pace group. While I don't mind being the last runner during the fun runs, I think I would find it incrediblly frustrating being the slowest runner in the training group. I don't want to spend the next 3 months feeling the need to catch up.

I broke away from the run because I was doing the Stop the Silence 8k in downtown DC with MLJ and P. It was a good run for me, fairly fast. P ran with me and I think he was running slowly to stay with me. The only frustrating thing with this run is that the course was in part, shaped like the teeth of a saw. We'd run down these short blocks off of Pennslyvania and then U-turn back to Pennslyvania Ave. On the way back, the finish line was taunting me everytime we popped back out from the tooth section.

After the run, I met up with D, who was doing a training walk. So we walked together. It was an active morning. I think it's time for a nap!

Running vs Jogging

I love this. The shopping spree comment, however, hits close to home!

Lynn's Garmin Information

Untitled by runlynnrun at Garmin Connect - Details

I love this thing. Even though I forgot to start up the watch, it recorded it on the map. I did not swim across the tidal basin or run on the water. It picked it up again when I remembered to start up the stopwatch.

Poor Start to Training Program

I've run marathons using training programs, but never with a training group. This year, I thought I would remedy that. A running store near me is offering a marathon training program, so it was like fate. Except tonight was the first weeknight run. I was going to bail because I was not feeling well earlier in the day. But I didn't want to be lazy. I waited for the bus for 40 minutes (that's a rant for another day) and got to the track and no training group. No one from the store showed. Now I could have gotten the wrong high school track, but there were two other people looking for the same training group. Maybe fate is telling me something else now.

A Monday Run to Start the Week

I ran 5 miles this morning. I thought it was a good start to the week. According to my Garmin 110, I ran 5.02 miles in 51:53. I had an average pace of 10:20 and an average moving pace of 10:10. I also had an elevation gain of 135 feet and an elevation loss of 157 feet. And to top it all off a ran the first mile in 9:50, the second in 9:46, the third in 10:35, the fourth in 10:39 and the fifth in 10:48. If you can't tell, this is the first time I've actually downloaded the information from my Garmin onto my computer. Had I know it would tell me all this information, I may have done it sooner. It's really kind of great to have all this knowledge at my wrist!

The run in and of itself was nice. It was my typical loop from home to the mall, where I ran to the Lincoln Memorial and then to the Washington Monument. The only downside was that the tourists were out in full swing, or so it felt. I was dodging tourists from the White House and all through the Mall. I wish someone would hand tourists a flyer entitled, "How to Walk and Gawk at the Same Time." Included in this list would be don't take up the entire sidewalk, don't take up the entire sidewalk when taking a picture unless you want a runner/biker or other tourists to go between you and your subject, don't stop abruptly, hang onto your little ones, and if someone says "passing on your left/right," don't move in that direction!

Pike's Peek 10k

Yesterday, I ran the Pike's Peek 10k. This is a PR-course because it's mainly downhill. I ran the first mile in under 9 minutes, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I did PR (58:41), even despite my lack of running. The only thing that niggles in the brain is that it's about a minute under my last 10k PR, which was a run I did in Central Park. That is a hilly course. I'm thinking the two courses may even itself out. In any case, it was nice to know I can keep up a sub 9:30 average pace over 6 miles. I just need to translate that into 26.2 miles.

I have a new goal -- to actually log miles during the week, like I should be doing. Today is a beautiful day, and I plan on going out for a run this morning!

My "Rave" Run

I went running with T today. We were supposed to do a long run, but it was hot and I was tired. We ended up doing 4 miles and walking 2. I guess it was a preview of what the summer will be like. What made this run great was the view. You can really tell spring is here. Along the trail was a carpet of green, dotted with yellow and purple flowers. It was amazing!



Well, my lazy running days are over. I have to step up the milage and the training. I'm hoping to do sub-10:00 miles soon!

A Preview of the NYC Marathon

As part of my 13 half marathons in 2011, I knew I would have to do two half marathons in one month. But I don't know what possessed me to do them in the same weekend. The 13.1 New York Half Marathon, which my cousin G ran last year, was on Saturday, 2 April. The More Half Marathon, which I have run before, was on Sunday, 3 April. I did them both. I made a NYC running weekend out of it! And it was a good weekend for running. Overall the weather was cool, but sunny. More importantly, there was great crowd support at both races. It really does help. Great crowds and great volunteers! And in Central Park, I saw NBC's Al Roker. It looked like he was taking a nice walk around the park, while we were running past.

The More Half Marathon is old terrain for me. It's two loops of Central Park. What made it different this time around was instead of running clockwise, we ran counter-clockwise. It may not seem all that earth-shattering, but it does change the composition of the hill at the north end of Central Park. When you run clockwise, the hill is long and gradual with a bit of flat in between. Running counter-clockwise, the hill was long and steeper, with no flat anywhere . You crest the top and then you have a little downhill. Normally, I would like the challenge. But the fact was on Sunday, my legs were sore from Saturday. In fact, I was very tempted to just stay in bed Sunday morning and forgo the run. I ran, just not that fast.

So why were my legs sore? Part of it was the 13.1 miles I ran the day before. The half was flat, with some small minor hills, that looped in and around Flushing Meadows. I'm not all to familiar with Queens, so this run was a fun revelation in some ways. I got to see Citi Field, The Queens Art Museum, Arthur Ashe Stadium, the big globe, and even a couple of rockets ships (I still don't know what museum or exhibit they were part of, but they were there).

It might have been a bit of arrogance on my part, but I thought the flat course would treat my legs well. And they did. I actually finished faster than I thought I would with a time just under 2:18. It was still 9 minutes longer than my PR, but I guess this early in the season and with my sporadic training, my legs weren't going to bounce back as quickly as I imagined. On Sunday, I did the 13.1 miles in just under 2:33. If you add up the times I did 26.2 miles in a total of about 4:51 minutes (and with a good night's sleep included). This might not bode well for my goal of doing the NYC Marathon in under 4:30.

Team Tutu Runs the National Half-Marathon

26 March 2011

On a chilly Saturday morning, with the sun just peeping over the horizon, Team Tutu - T, E, and I - stepped out of the Armory and followed the crowd to the start line. We had two minutes to get there, but we weren't alone. There were large crowds still exiting from the metro and lines snaking up stairs and along the gymnasium floor for the bathrooms. No one was making a mad dash for the start. For us, this was a good thing. We were in corral 8 and it took about 15 minutes for that corral to hit the start line.

As we crossed the start line, the announcer identified us as Team Tutu, and I have had to admit I liked that moniker. We signed up for the race and ran it dressed as we did because it was cheaper and less time consuming than the Disney Princess Half. I hadn't realized how many people would cheer you on if you put on a tutu and a tiara. It was great! We got a lot of compliments on the tutus from spectators, although some people thought we were princesses, most people thought we were ballerinas. I think it was from all the recent movies involving ballet -- okay, so it's only really two, but one was an Oscar winner. It also means people on the course looking for you, can usually find you. Wearing a tutu, you tend to stand out in a sea of shorts and running tights. The outfits also generated comments from fellow runners. In fact, one woman told us we'd love the Disney Princess Half (but I don't think we'd be the only ones wearing tutus for that race). One guy who ran, who I shall refer to as Lululemon man -- and I think from the picture you an see why, was incredibly supportive.
He told me I should check out Half Fanatics. While I do have a lot of halfs lined up, this was coming from a guy who was running the full marathon and then planned to hop on a plane at 3pm and run a full marathon on Sunday in New Mexico. I might not actually qualify as a fanatic. Even better, he passed us on the course and then he passed us again. The only difference was the second time, he was chomping on an Egg McMuffin. Yep, he pulled off the course to get some breakfast! This is my kind of runner and my kind of fuel for a run!

Running with a group is different. As you know from Austin, I have been known to pull away when things are slow. But I was recovering from a cold and I liked the idea of a nice, leisurely run. This fit the bill. All three of us were recovering from something and the course was probably a bit more challenging than we had anticipated, particularly for T and I who run in DC all the time. I guess we really do tend to stay on the flatter portions of DC. But it was nice to feel a part of something and cross the line with a group. Now that I reflect on it, even when I run with friends in a race, we tend to cross separately because running is a solitary sport for me and I'm a slow runner compared to my friends. Also, at the end, people (meaning not me) like to sprint. My race time was the slowest of the year. Granted it is only March, but I do need to step it up, however, if I want to break 4:30 at the NYC Marathon.

Next weekend is my two-fer Half Marathon Weekend.

Four Courts Four Miler

Before I got my horrible cold, I ran Pacer's Four Courts Four Miler race. It's basically their St. Patrick's Day run. They had a great shirt last year: technical tee with a clover leaf and it said "Kiss me, I'm a Runner." I loved that shirt. (I can't find it right now, hence the past tense.) This year's shirt was not so great. But they did have a nice gimmick. One of their staff members (Robbie) started the race 15 minutes later and if you didn't get passed by him, you got a sports bottle as you crossed the finish line. The course is an out and back. And the first two miles is essentially two miles of downhill (there's a little uphill at the end of the first 2 miles), which means the back is pretty much two miles of uphill. It was masachistic! About 200 yards from the finish, I could hear that Robbie was coming on strong behind us, so I pushed and crossed the line 38 minutes and 43 seconds after I started. And I did this all while wearing my St. Paddy's day (now lucky) headband.

A Rough Week

Last Wednesday, I woke up with a head cold. I lost my voice a couple of days later, and got a horrible cough. I'm beginning to feel better, but I have not run in a week. Ordinarily this would not be a problem. But In the next two weeks I've got to run 3 half marathons. I'm a bit worried about how my lungs and my legs are going to turn out.

Austin Half Marathon

On 20 February, I ran the Austin Half Marathon. I ran the first few miles with JC and her friend N. But then I ran ahead. I ended up finishing in 2:31:31. It was a strong finish, for me, although I have mixed feelings about the time. I do think I could have gone faster. It's strange how competitive I can be about running. I know I'm not fast, but I don't like to let too many people pass me. The race was well organized. There was amazing crowd support, and there were water stops every mile or so. What surprised me, however, was just how hilly the course was. I know Baltimore was hilly, but at least there was a mile or so of flat. On the Austin course there was no real length of flat, it was either going up or going down. My one complaint about the race was at the finish. They decided to hand the race shirts out at the finish. I finished in the middle of the pack and frankly, it was crowded as hell. I'm talking a street full of people, packed to the gills, not moving, and waiting to get a shirt. I think they would have been better off just handing out the shirts at the expo.

After the race, we went to a nearby restaurant to celebrate. The food was great and it was a beautiful day to sit outside and celebrate our race finish. We split a tamale with cheese and roasted poblanos, a nice egg breakfast with great roasted mushrooms and tomatoes. And the dessert -- it made the run worthwhile. It was a flourless cholocate cake with a hint of chili, carmalized bananas and brown butter banana ice cream. Oh, and I had a maragarita to wash it all down. There were a lot of other racers there. I'm glad I did it and that's race number two done. Next month is Sun Trust National. I have to start making my tutu!