Run Like A Girl Gets A New Home

The Run Like A Girl blog has moved to www.RunLikeAGirlBlog.com.  Come check the new layout and content and please let me know what you think. There are still adjustments to be made on the news site and I'm looking forward to your feedback. 

The NYC Marathon is this Sunday.  You can follow me on the NYC Marathon website race day with my bib number - #27439.  It's not too late to contribute to my marathon fundraising campaign, visit http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/LauraNYC for more information or to make an online donation. Look forward to a race report on the blog soon after. 

Thanks for reading and see you on the new site!

Laura 

Taper Time

For me, nothing makes pages fly off a calendar faster than training for a marathon.  It seems such a short time ago that I was getting ready for my first 16 of the season and worrying that it might be too early for that kind of mileage.  Suddenly, the leaves have changed, I've traded running tanks for long sleeves and it was time for the 21 miler. 

We tackled the longest run of the training last weekend.  It was a gorgeous morning and although it was chilly, I was never uncomfortably cold.  After discussing some possible routes for the run we decided that the river was too flat to mimic the actual race course so we started in the North End and ran to One Beacon St and followed the very familiar route we ran each time we trained for Boston.  We turned around a little past Chestnut St and then took Comm Ave home to take advantage of the Newton hills.  I haven’t run that route in a long time so it was a nice change of scenery and there were plenty of opportunities to stop for water or a bathroom break.  I did have to stop and stretch out my hamstrings which had been giving me a little trouble lately and the B.A.A. Half the week before had done some damage too.  It turned out to be a pretty good run for both Jared and I and it wasn't until we were back at the Holiday Inn in Brookline that we both started to fall apart.  It was especially tough to run up the hill to the State House and then not stop at One Beacon like we had done so many times training for Boston but we decided when we got back to the North End we would run straight to Starbucks for a post run treat.  That made finishing the long run a little sweeter – literally. 

Passing the Johnny Kelley statue on
Comm Ave means you're almost home.

With the longest run behind us it was time to begin the taper.  The mileage comes down and if I was doing any significant cross training that would slow down a lot too.  The first taper week isn't too different for me.  I still ran during the week but shortened them all to 4 miles and didn't focus too much on pace.  This weekend we set out to run 10-12 miles with freedom to adjust pace and distance based on how we felt.  I didn't feel great but there were some challenges. The weather was weird – it was supposed to rain but it stopped early and became really humid – it was reminiscent of the weather at Falmouth this year, yuck!  I was prepared for the weather to be a little cooler and maybe wet so the shirt I packed was a little too heavy.  I definitely wasn't recovered from the previous weeks 21 miler so that didn't help and on top of everything else we were running on the river and it was Head of the Charles weekend.  Honestly, the crowds weren't that big of a deal but it was just one more thing that wasn't awesome about the run.  We decided to slow down to a light jog and then walk for the last mile before home.  The total course including the warm up and cool down was a little over 12 and we averaged a responsible pace but I was thrilled when it was over.

I'll read the race handbook cover
to cover to help ease pre-race anxiety

It’s now officially the taper portion of training and while it’s nice for the mileage to come down and I’m more relaxed about getting in runs throughout the week, at this point I often start to lose my mind.  I’ll stress myself out about how I trained, I will start to feel aches in random places and I may begin having terrifying marathon dreams.  These were really bad when I was managing ALF’s Run for Research team and responsible for 200+ runners but even if it’s just me I’ll suffer from some cliche anxiety dreams where its race day and I can’t get to the start, or I lose my sneakers or forget to go to New York.  I’m hoping plenty of rest and upping my yoga practice will help keep some of this stress away but it’s just part of the process. 

Last fall, in the weeks prior to the Chicago Marathon, a fellow runner posted a great quote: A taper is more of a challenge than you think.  You’ll have to trust that the work is done, that “the money I sin the back” or “the hay is in the barn”.  You’re at peak fitness and you should feel great!

I do trust that I've done the work and I’m prepared to run a great race in a couple of weeks.  Now all that’s left is to maintain fitness and sanity the best I can. 

It’s not too late to contribute to my NYC Marathon Fundraising campaign with the American Liver Foundation.  Please visit http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/LauraNYC to make an online donation. 

Race Report: BAA Half Marathon - 10.7.12

I've been quite pleased with how my training had been going for the NYC Marathon so far.  I was able to get in several long runs over 16 miles and have managed to stay injury free throughout the entire season (knock on wood).   My legs have been tight and heavy but visits to my chiropractor for ART and regular massages seem to help with that.  The only problem is that I have not made speed training a priority and started getting discouraged about how well I was going to perform in the race.

I was happy with my 10k time at the Finish on the 50 but felt like I could have done better, then Falmouth was a total bust due to the heat and gross humidity.  I knew I didn't race to my potential at RTB but it’s hard to base your fitness on a 24 relay performance.  The last half marathon I raced was the Run to Remember in May.  I was happy with my time at that race but definitely didn't push myself as hard as I could have.  I don’t remember the last time I was really sore after a race since it had been a while since I truly went all out to see what I could do.  Honestly, I had already assumed this wasn't going to be a great race based on my past recent race results and the predicted rain we were expecting all week.  Oh well, I thought to myself, at least it will be a decent run with some hills and new scenery.

Sunday morning the alarm went off at 5:30 and the skies looked clear.  When I took Brittany out for her morning walk it was appropriate chilly for October but still comfortable.  It was turning out to be a great morning for a run.  After grabbing a shuttle bus at UMASS that drove us to the start in Franklin Park, we had about an hour to kill before the start of the race but the time went by quickly getting our bags settled and, of course, waiting in line for the bathroom.  We squeezed like sardines into the corrals just a few minutes before the gun went off and it was clear by the crowd I was not in danger of going out too fast. 

Jared and I mid-race.  He is
obviously feeling strong 

I had planned to try and hold an 8:30 pace for the race but since I had lost a lot of my running confidence, I wasn't sure that was going to happen.  I was committed to staying with Jared for the first half or so and then if I couldn't keep up I would back off.  We had a conservative first couple of miles since it was crowded but then sped up to 8:20 by mile three.  I was tempted to back down since that was a little faster than I had been anticipating but I felt good so I kept it up.  We continued to pick up speed each mile until mile 6 when the course got a little hilly but as soon as there was some relief Jared picked it right back up again and I was able to keep up. I knew we were hauling at mile 8 and 9 and when my watch chirped at the end of that lap it read 8:03.  I was happy that we were doing so well, but it also made me nervous that I was going to run out of steam.  I felt myself slow down and watched Jared pull away up a hill.  I almost resigned to letting him go ahead while I slowed down to something more comfortable but I knew I had more left so I caught him again on a downhill.  Before I knew it we were at mile 10 and with only three more miles to go and I knew I could keep pushing until the finish.  Around then I heard Jared say ‘we have a solid shot of finishing under 1:50 and I was certain he was jinxing me.  As if as soon as we set that goal everything was just going to fall apart.  I was surprised how good I felt and now that we were so close to finishing I had no fears about pushing to the end.  With just a few yards to go, Jared took off to cross the finish line and as badly as I wanted to chase him, my legs felt a bit too heavy and I felt like he deserved to take this one…but not by much.  Just seven seconds later I crossed too.  My official time was 1:49:14 which is my best half time since February of 2010. 

More great news…my legs are sore. No pain or anything alarming, just muscles that worked really hard and now need to repair themselves. I find it so frustrating to race and then not be at least a little bit sore afterwards.  It makes me feel like I should have run harder. Waking up Monday morning and hobbling around was a little uncomfortable but very satisfying.  I great yoga class later that night helped a lot.

I’m also very proud to congratulate Stacey on her first half marathon yesterday.  I hope it’s the first of many (or at least a few) more.

  

Congrats Stacey on your first 13.1!

I think this race helped to bring back my confidence just in time for the marathon - now less than 4 weeks away.  I haven’t committed to a time goal and enjoying the race is much more important to me, but I do want to feel good about my performance -especially after all the hard work I've put in over the past several months.  I’m now much more mentally prepared to push through on race day and go for it.  

There is still time to contribute to my NYC Marathon Campaign.  Please visit my fundraising page for more information: http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/LauraNYC

Adventures in Travel Racing

Enjoying DC on some tired legs

While racing locally is obviously much easier and logistically friendly, it can be lots of fun and rewarding to travel for a marathon or triathlon.  Some of my fondest racing memories have been out of town.  In 2007 my parents traveled with me to Washington DC for the Marine Corps Marathon. It was just an okay race for me but the finish line took my breath away right in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial. The next day I hobbled all over DC to see the monuments and museums.  There were a ton of us in race jackets walking backwards down the Lincoln Memorial. 

In 2009, several friends traveled to Philadelphia for the Half Marathon and Marathon. It was a quick one night trip and I scored free accommodations traveling with Kate O’Malley since we stayed with her Aunt Mendy in Philly.  Everything about this trip was fast including my marathon; it remains my PR at 3:40:46 (a Boston Qualifying time back then). After the race we ate an obligatory cheese steak and headed home.

Last year, I went on two racing adventures.  The first was the Disney World Princess Half in Orlando where I got to combine a terrific race with visiting the most magical place on earth!  Then in the fall, I joined the Somerville Road Runners for the Chicago Marathon.  I had been to the city a couple times before so I wasn't tempted to do too much sightseeing – a great way to exhaust your legs before you get to the starting line – but I did have plenty of time to enjoy the city and Chicago made for a great city to throw a post race party. 

Obligatory Bean Photo after the Chicago Marathon

The packing can be a challenge and it certainly does contribute some extra stress to getting ready for a race but it also adds to the excitement. My friend Karen and I were so excited on the way to Chicago it took us almost the entire flight to figure out what time it was. Race photos are always fun but add a famous city landmark and it’s even better.

This past weekend, Jared and I traveled to the Pocono Mountains for the Ironman 70.3 – Jared would be competing in his 2^nd half iron and I would be cheering him on and enjoying a little road trip. Luckily, we were only about five hours away so we were able to drive.  Logistics for even a local tri can be tricky so we were both very careful about keeping a packing list and making sure everything made the trip. To add some difficulty, there were two different transition areas so he had to have two of everything. We headed out on Saturday morning, made a quick stop in CT to say hello to our families and drop off the dogs and made it to our Poconos “Resort” (feel free to read my not so flattering Trip Adviser Review) by early afternoon even with a detour that sent us about a half hour out of our way.   The leaves are all starting to change colors so the views were really beautiful once we made it to the mountains but it was also a reminder to Jared that this course was going to be much more challenging than the Patriot Tri in Freetown this summer.

I'm adorable but really stupid

We stayed at the race host hotel so after Jared picked up his race materials and we sat through a race meeting and then I was able to get our room information. We had a lot to do before dinner since there was two transition areas to set up so we organized everything he needed for the race and headed to find the first transition.  It was just a bit down the road from the resort so we quickly drove down and set up the bike.  We were able to confirm the address for the T2 but we were surprised to hear it was over 30 miles away.  Hopefully, it wouldn't be far from where we were planning to have dinner.  We took off to find the next destination and got another reminder that we were not in Boston when a black bear cub came darting out of the woods and across the street.  Jared swerved to try and avoid the poor animal but it still came crashing into the back side of my Hyundai.  From what we saw in the rear view mirror, he scurried off into the woods.  When we had a chance, we discovered that there was no damage at all to the car so he might not have hit us hard enough to not recover. I've decided to believe he is doing just fine now and maybe had a nasty headache all weekend.  Hopefully he learned his lesson and mama bear will remind him to look both ways when he crosses the street. 

We found the second TA quite easily and it was conveniently just down the road from where we had decided to have dinner.  Some online research on the drive down gave us some ideas and Jared opted for a Spanish/ Portuguese restaurant in Downtown Stroudsburg.  The menu looked great and it wasn't far from our resort.  We made an early 6:30 reservation so we would have plenty of time to get home, do last minute preparations and go to sleep early.   Unfortunately, the restaurant had other plans and everything took an insane amount of time to get to the table.  Thankfully when the food did finally arrive it was mostly good and we were able to have a great meal.  We made it home in time for any last minute preparations and surprisingly fell asleep quickly in the world’s most uncomfortable bed.

Sunday morning the alarm went off at 4:00 am I tried to sleep a little longer while Jared got ready and then around 5:30 I drove him down to meet the shuttle to the start.  It was going to be a chilly start to the morning but it was dry.  After heading back to pack up our things and clean up I attempted to find my way to the first recommended cheering spot.  It was mile 32 on the bike so I assumed I had plenty of time.  After ending up at the exact same road closure twice, I wandered around some back roads that all looked perfect for a bear to come bolting out of and definitely gasped when some squirrels would run by.  I finally found my way to a parking lot in Shawnee PA where a small group of family members were gathered to cheer on their athletes.  Another woman told me you could track athletes on the Ironman site so I started carrying the ipad around to check on Jared’s status.  I learned that he had finished the swim in 26:40!  He was off to a great start.  We cheered on the leaders for a while and finally got a new update that he had crossed the 13.7 mark in just over 34 minutes and averaging just over 23 miles an hour giving me a better idea of when to expect him.  He came flying through a little earlier than I expected and looked very happy at that point.  My next planned cheering spot was T2 which was at the high school downtown.  I missed the turn to find parking in the back of the school and tried to do a simple u-turn to make it back but had to cross the bike route and the police stopped letting people through. I sat in my car at the light right in front of the race for over an hour. Unfortunately, this forced me to miss Jared coming off the bike and out for the run but I did see him ride in to T2 from my car and yelled and beeped for him.  He didn’t hear me. About a half hour later they finally let me through so I was able to find parking, a bathroom and a great cheering spot right at the finish line. I had the ipad in my hands and was furiously refreshing until it finally showed that he had crossed the 6.7 mile mark of the run. He was averaging around 9 minute miles for the run so I knew I just had about an hour until he would finish. I spent the rest of the time cheering on the racers and developed some serious finish line envy.  I wasn’t envious that they had just finished a 70.3 triathlon but I know that feeling of completing something exceptionally challenging and finally getting to the finish line.  There are no words to appropriately describe the sense of pride, elation and relief when you get there. It almost made me want to consider training for a half iron but I’m hoping the finish line in Central Park will be all the fix I need!

Jared crossed the finish line of the Ironman Poconos 70.3 in 5 hours 18 minutes and 44 seconds. Less than one minute slower than he finished the Patriot half iron in June which had a much less difficult course. He looked great when he finished and was able to walk around the Finish Line Festival to enjoy a beer and some food.

Ironman Poconos 70.3 Finish Life Festival!

We headed back to the car and drove straight to Shelton CT where my parents live. The stop there allowed us to do some laundry, have dinner taken care of (thanks Mom and Dad!) and most importantly have a comfortable bed to sleep in after a long day. While we both agree we probably won’t ever return to the Pocono Mountains again it was a great trip. The race went very well, there were no major travel catastrophes and we have that great story about the bear cub to share.  Jared is now considering full iron distances tri’s for next summer and I’m wondering if I can ride a bike for 56 miles. I’m not so sure it’s in the cards for me.

I have a several weekends where I can enjoy staying put in Boston but the NYC Marathon is now a month away!  Will I be ready?  I have the BAA Half Marathon and the pre race 21 miler coming up to make sure but the calendar never seems to care if I’m ready or not.  Race day is almost here.  If you would like to contribute to my NYC Marathon Fundraising Campaign please visit my page here: http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/LauraNYC