Starting Small

Since the move....well, even before it....my running has been slacking. It really shouldn't since I have half marathon in 3 weeks. Part of the reason is I've finally succumbed to a running related injury: plantar fasciitis. I'm supposed to be doing more stretching of that area. And I try. I'm thinking of getting the night splint to help.

But now that I've gotten over the jet lag, I've done some short runs, usually 3-milers. I will up it to 6 miles next week and 10 the week after. And the week after will be the half.  Even though I've been taking it easy on the mileage, I've been trying to end the run on a hard note. Well, try isn't really accurate. I'm forced to since my temporary home is on the top of the hill. I can run up the cobblestone road. It's a long slow hill.

 

I run up this and then a shorter little hill. But on my loops around the little park at the base of Toompea, I saw some stairs. These stairs lead to the overlook a couple of streets over from the apartment. So, the last couple of little runs, I've been hitting the stairs. I can't run up the entire thing, but I'm hoping by the time I move, I can.

My Last ING NYC Marathon

So, last November I ran what I swore would be my last ING NYC marathon. My training was shoddy but I laced up my sneaks saying to myself, "You will savor your last marathon, you will just enjoy the race." And surprisingly, I did. Very much. I ran most of it. Usually, it's more walking than running by the last 2 miles. But most encouragingly, I saw a lot of familiar faces on the race course cheering me on. It helped.....a lot.

It was an amazing experience. I ran it in just over 5 hours. Had I not stopped for the port-a-potty, I think I could have broken the 5 hour mark.

I qualified for this year's marathon, too, through 9+1. I kept getting the emails saying, "Don't forget you have guaranteed entry." I even got a couple of automated calls reminding me I had to sign up by a certain day. My mind went wandering back to how great that race felt, and of course, my desire to break the 5 hour mark in NYC.

So I did sign up to run another NYC marathon. At least last year was my last ING NYC. This year will be my first TCS NYC marathon.