SI Update 2

90 minutes to go. Definitely not much sitting around. Lots of hearding and wandering. Sadly, no time for the paper.

Off to go find more water and some preemptive Tylenol before checking my bag and committing to this thing!

So far, the guy in footed yellow duckie PJs has amused me most.

Ferry

Had my last proper bathroom break at the ferry terminal. From here on out, it’s port-a-John central. Ah… The aroma.

Lots of italians here today. I am very out of practice. Can’t understand a lot, but let’s hope their exhuberance rubs off.

Ooh! Ferry pulling out!

Marathon morning report

Up at 4:30 am. Paper is already here which will help in the 3 hour wait. Think I have everything ready and it’s looking to be a warmer than expected day. Good for the wait- and my cooshy $6 Target sweatshirt might actually be too warm.

Hour by hour reports of my “waiting on Staten Island experience” coming soon. You can all read it when you actually wake up

Lessons from a 12-miler

Had a 12 mile long run on Saturday and took advantage of one of the organized long runs in the park. Made for a 5am morning, but is totally worth it to have the resources available.

It went really well! Much, much better than the 11 miles we had done a few weeks before. Last time we ran, we opted for the 10 min/mile group, but were with a pace leader who ran at 9:30. This made for a marvelous first 6 miles and a miserable final 5.

This time, we ran with a 10:30 pace group which was a much better decision. Not only is it more like the pace we are actually running these days, but we had great coaches who stayed right on the money. We each had a mile + at a faster pace (faster than 9:30) when playing catch up after a pit-stop, but otherwise was the perfect pace. Ended up finishing in just over 2 hours and felt great. Though, to quote Eldar, “it feels awesome to not be running right now!”

Lessons:
1) Im not as fast or strong as I was in 2007, but I actually feel better (in general) now, than I did in 2007. It’s been hard for me to let go of the standard I set for myself in 2007 (in fact, I have not let it go, but I am trying). The pace I ran, what my body looked like, etc. But, I had control issues in my life back then and lived (and ate) accordingly. Now that I am a freer person, it shows in my running. Im slower now because I don’t train as hard and I actually eat better. It makes me slower, but I recover much faster and don’t feel as exhausted all the time. The trade off should be obvious (well being for fast race times), but it is still hard for me not to calculate a half marathon at 9:30 pace and set a goal of breaking 2 hours. Maybe someday when Im not training for a marathon and can really push for that half marathon time. But one run at a time. And I’ll take the happiness any day.

2) Train for the worst case scenario. This was the advice of one of the pace coaches. Chatted with her for a bit after she called me out for running outside of the recreation lane in the park… “Pink shirt!” Her advice was to train for the worst case scenario. Meaning – if you plan to run somewhere between 4:30 and 5:00 half marathon, train for the 5 hours. It could be raining, 98 degrees, 100% humidity or you just might feel like ass. If you are trained to stay on your feet for 5 hours, it will be easier. You’ll be able to give up the dream of the 4:40 time and give yourself the extra time. And your body will be prepared to stay upright and running for that long. So…train slow. And, when it turns out to be a great day after all…you’ll be able to keep up that quicker pace (which is what the shorter, interval training runs are for.

Next up: it’s a taper week to prep for the half marathon in less than 2 weeks. 2 nice runs this week (one interval, one flat mileage) and an 8 miler this weekend.

Behind

I am grossly behind in my postings, but just a note to say that I haven’t disappeared. I am lazy about posting these days, what with a commute home on Tuesdays or a million things to do post-run on the other days.

But, I will strive for more consistency. These posts help me remember what Ive been through in my runs and be proud of what I have accomplished!

My slackage reminds me that in general, I am striving to bring the discipline back into my life. I have turned into a giant lazy slob in all aspects of my life. Slight exaggeration, obviously, but I am not the proactive achiever that I once was.

But, one of these days I’ll get back on it.

In other news…new sports bras!! Say bye-bye to the “permanently smelly and so stiff they can remain upright on their own” variety. Niiiiice.

Wuss

Yes, I am a wuss. Actually, Im not. But, today I wussed out. I prefer to blame it on the 60-90 minute commute I have to get home after running group. It made skipping out on a run in a thunderstorm with pouring down rain really easy. I hit the treadmill for 30 minutes of intervals (likely much less strenuous ones than Shelley would have done) and another segment of a movie (whose name escapes me at the moment).

No running wisdom to share tonight.

Though skipping out afforded me a few very nice things. I got to make an excellent stir-fryesque dinner with CSA share sugar snap peas and broccoli. YUM. And I will get to read more of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince once Im done with this post. I think it’s my third time through it. But, I have to re-read again before the movie comes out!

Bronx River Pathway – Scarsdale/Hartsdale Missing Link

Some digging around on the web provided me with the answers that eluded me for a year. Until the Bronx River Pathway is officially connected between Scarsdale and Hartsdale…how do you keep on runnin’?

You have 2 options. Note that these directions are written as though you are running north (from White Plains).

Option 1

• When the trail ends, turn right.
• Run over the overpass (above Bronx River Parkway and the train tracks that run parallel).
• Follow the sidewalk as it curves right. Enter the Hartsdale train station.
• Bear right (you’ll now end up running UNDER the overpass you just ran across.
• Continue along Aqueduct Pipeline Road. Note: This road has no sidewalk or shoulder, but is not heavily travelled – be sure to run against traffic.
• About 1 mile down is Edgemont Place. Continue past.
• Follow the S-curve. About halfway through the turn is a small opening in the guardrail on the left.
• Head south and look for the path on the right as it enters the woods behind some apartment buildings.
• The BR Pathway picks up again at Harney Road.

Option 2

• When the pathway ends, turn left.
• Run up the hill. Turn right on Walworth Ave (first traffic light).
• At the next light (Fennimore Rd) Walworth becomes Fox Meadow Road.
• Continue for a couple of miles through this residential neighborhood. No sidewalks, but plenty of room to run and the naitives are friendly.
• Fox Meadow runs out (T-intersection). Turn right onto Crane Road.
• Bear left onto East Parkway. This becomes Scarsdale Ave.
• Pass through Scarsdale train station parking lot.
• Turn right onto Popham Road.
• Turn left on Garth Road.
• The path picks up at Harney Road.

Pyramid

I like to name my side stiches the way I name my blisters. I’d like to introduce you to Louie Left Stitch and Reba Right Stitch. Sally Shoulder Cramp was also in attendance this evening. Good times getting used to the heat. This being the first day of actual summer-like weather (miracle).

Overheard before class: Some chick called Shelly “that lady with the bushy hair”. Haha. As if. Umm….sweetie…that’s Shelly. SHELLY. I don’t know why, but that really tickled me.

Workout: Pyramid intervals. 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1 mile plus warm up and cool down of 1.4 miles each (total milage – 4.86, but see note about GPS watch below). For the Advance group, they had to do an extra 1/4 mile and 1/2 mile intervals. Eek. Sometimes it’s good to not be in the fast group.

Very good workout. According to my watch, we did the warmup at 8:15 pace. Nice one, Shelly. No idea about time for the 1/4 (of which the recovery felt exactly the same as the interval). 4:48 for the 1/2 mile. 10:37 for the mile (minus 1 minute off the time to account for the insane hill course).

Buckets of sweat. Swoob, swack, swass, swace, you name it.

I miss working so hard to keep breathing that I don’t close my mouth and drool on myself. Awesome.

Note about GPS watch. Coaches say the warmup we did tonight (school to 99th street) is 1.25 miles. However, my watch said 1.43 miles. Laurel says her dad’s watch freaks out in Central Park, too. Must run a measured area that I know well to compare the watch readings. Another question is the pace readings. Is it the pace Im running right at that moment or an average of my pace for all of the mileage I have run. Over about 1/8 mile length, I read my pace 3 times and it was all over the place (and before you ask – I was running steady). I also need to figure out how to program intervals into my watch. And also how to just start the timer to record time/mileage without setting up a workout first. Or rather…I need to get Eldar to figure out all of this stuff for me

P.S. Laurel – Saw Paula tonight. I would have given her the evil eye if I hadn’t been using all my physical resources to not have a heart attack after that damn hill. But good news – it’s officially summer in the city. And you know what that means!

And a $10 cab ride and 30 min train ride and 6 min car ride later I was home. Nite!

New Shoes and a Partial Solution

8 miler today. I was a bit apprehensive going out since it’s the longest mileage in a good long while. And Eldar’s shin splints have him sidelined at the moment. So, it was up to me to entertain myself.

Thanks to Barry at Westchester Road Runners for hooking me up with new running and walking shoes (plus insoles) on Friday night. Yes, that’s my exciting evening…spending an hour picking out new running shoes. Though, I watched Deadliest Catch, too.

Anyway…new shoes broke in without incident. Well, no more incident than a few grandiose mud puddles. So far, I am blister free.

And I rocked it at 10:15 pace! Which is stellar for me these days. Felt terrific until the last mile. Though I think my fatigue was more mental than physical. But it does remind me to start rethinking my breakfast strategy now that I’m upping the mileage. I don’t think Newman’s Own Sweet Enough cereal is really the breakfast of champions (though it is one of the only cereals you can buy that isn’t filled with science experiments- and even it’s not perfect…but I digress.)

Ran south on the Bronx River Pathway even though E doesn’t like me to run that way alone (thanks to a few darkish underpasses where we have seen random discarded clothing lying around). But lots of folks out to run so I did it anyway. And I thought it time to solve the mystery of the disappearing trail.

We know the trail continues further south, but it dead-ends in Hartford and we can’t figure out where it picks up. Even shows a break on the “official” map. But I asked a guy who had passed me on the way out if the trail picked up. He says there are 2 ways-one through the neighborhood and another down the access road of the Hartford train station. I opted for the latter since my helper didn’t know the street names to use on Route #1.

Peaches at the train station farmer’s market!! Yippee-maybe it’s summer after all.

Anyway, found MOST of the route, but didn’t see the semi-hidden access point he mentioned and I was already halfway through my mileage so needed to get back. But the good ‘ol Internet provided the solution. Now just need to figure out the neighborhood route.

All in all…a good morning and a much needed confidence builder!

Pacing

3 1-mile intervals
9:10
9:20
9:08

Ran with the 10/10:30 group today. Was a great workout! I miss just running. Don’t have to plan a route or set the pace. I just have to keep up. Which isn’t always easy, but I just do NOT work that hard when Im on my own.

Lesson for today was pacing. The idea being that if you want to run 3 miles at a 10 minute pace, you won’t run each mile in 10 minutes. But the average will equal 10 minutes. Because you will run slower uphill.

Typically, I can maintain my same pace while running uphill. Then I tend to use the downhill as a recovery and go a bit slower. I have said before how I LOVE passing people going uphill and people who sprint downhill really annoy me. This is, apparently, bass-ackwards from what I should be doing.

But, if I start slowing down when I go uphill, Im afraid I will crap out altogether and have to walk. Which is just not acceptable.

So..I will be a rebel and go against the grain on this one. Or maybe I will be a convert by the end of the session. Stay tuned.