Hill Training - AKA "Hell Training"

Last night was week #2 of 6 weeks of hill training. Wow. That was hard.

We met at the coffee shop as usual, and then jogged to the park. We always do a little stretch warmup before we run, and I am really glad we do. I tend to do a much shorter stretch when I am running on my own. The we did a 1 mile run down to the bottom of a big hill by the lake in Prospect Park.

Last week we concentrated on running the hills properly. We would slow down going up the hill, and concentrate on proper form. This week, our coach Luis told us that we were going to run hills the wrong way. He said he doesn't ever want to see us run hills like this again. We were supposed to go ALL OUT running up the hill, and then recover on the way down. You get your heart rate back down, and get ready to do it again.

The hill we were running up was at least 4 times the hill I grew up on, and that is a steep hill.

The first time up the hill was crazy. Towards the end of it, I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to continue. I thought I was going to end up walking, but somehow I pushed through. I was running with 3 other girls, and we all thought we finally understand what it must feel like to have asthma. Everybody was struggling for air.

After we ran up this hill 3 times, I started to wonder when it was going to end. Luis said we would be doing this for an hour and half. He sounded like he was joking, but I was a little worried he wasn't! I was really hoping we wouldn't do this so many times that I would start lose count. Strangely enough, after 6 or 7 times I started to get faster. Somehow I started to pass lots of people on the way up. I was concentrating on turning on the power little by little every few steps, and it really worked. I was still exhausted at the top, but I felt slightly more efficient.

We all were trying to think of ways to cope through the up-hills. My old triathlon coach Scott told us that he will chant in his head "I'm a runner" over and over again. It does kind of help to get your mind and feet connected and moving. We all tried it, but we all ended up losing the chant in the last quarter of the hill. You're working too hard for your brain to think about anything.

Finally after hill #10 Luis took mercy on us. We jogged back to the entrance of the park, did a good long stretch and then went back to the coffee shop to pick up our stuff. I took 2 advil on the subway on the way home. I figured it would help bring down any inflammation I was going to get.

The plus side of running hills: I slept really, really well last night.

Running to Manhattan

Yesterday's run was a new experience on many fronts. New routes, new shoes, new fuel belt, new nutrition gels, new everything.

And... we left Prospect Park for the first time!

Our run took us from Grand Army Plaza, down Flatbush, across the Manhattan Bridge into the city, across Canal Street, and up the West Side Greenway to 61st Street (8.6 miles).


I have to say that it was my favorite run we have done so far. The view from the Manhattan bridge is pretty spectacular on a Saturday morning. You see the Brooklyn Bridge, and the lower Manhattan skyline. It's quiet at that hour, which is kind of unique in NYC.

Running through Chinatown on Canal Street was filled with stops and starts. That area is really crowded. There are some major roads where you have to stop and wait for cars to pass, instead of just jaywalking like most people usually do.

I loved the run along the Hudson River in Manhattan. They have done a really nice job making a nice, safe, pretty running and biking bath on the west side. As we got further uptown we saw a few cruise ships (HUGE) that were letting off their passengers with all of their luggage. The weren't very tan, so we were trying to figure out where the cruise destination was. The aircraft carrier Intrepid is being renovated, but the sign says it will be back in 250 days for all of you that have been missing it.

The coaches want us to take in 100 calories every 45-60 minutes while running. I tried the Cliff Shot strawberry gel for the first time, and I have to say it was pretty gross. I drank lots of water with it. I think next time I will try the more gummi-bear-like food. Maybe it will be less gross?

We had our "Connection to the Cause" breakfast yesterday. Unfortunately I couldn't make it, because I went to Philly right after the run. We're helping Rick's sister with some renovations they are doing to their house. Elizabeth promised to tell me all about it on our next run.

Running Supplies

There isn't too much you need when you run mid-distances in good weather, but I'm learning that there are a few more supplies for long distance & cold weather running.

This week, I got a box of running gear delivered that I bought online.

I got:
2 new pairs of shoes (the ones I like were discontinued and on sale)
1 fuel belt
1 hat

I wore the new shoes on Tuesday, and what a difference they made! I could feel that my old shoes weren't supporting my legs enough anymore. I plan on rotating these two pairs so they last longer. I need to break them both in on shorter runs so that I don't get blisters.

The fuel belt is going to be a new experience. I've never worn one of these, and I don't know how comfortable it will be.


Our coaches suggested we fill up some of the bottles with water, and some with Gatorade.


They also told us that we need to start eating during these runs. The common food of choice for endurance athletes are these gels. I haven't tried them yet, but I must admit they don't look too appetizing.


They are each 100 calories. Some have caffeine, and some don't. I've been told that you must drink water with them, or you will regret it. I'm not sure why, but I'm going to trust them! We are supposed to eat one of these every 45 minutes. I'm going to try it tomorrow.

There are also a few other options. These 2 are both more like Gummi Bears.



I'll report back which of these are least gross.

11.5 Miles!!! - My Longest Run Ever. By Far.

That was a long run.

I got up early and had some breakfast. I'm continuing to experiment with different food in the morning before my run. Today I tried a banana and peanut butter. Of course, I'm a little picky about my bananas. I like them a little bit green on the ends. Once they turn too yellow or get brown spots, I don't like them anymore. (My brother likes them this way too.)


I got to the park at 8:20, so I wouldn't be in a rush before the run starts. There is a bathroom in the park right where we meet, and they open it at 8:00am. This is handy, because running when you have to pee is pretty uncomfortable. Well, this morning it was locked! Oh no! I had to go dashing around Park Slope looking for someplace that had a bathroom. I was considering the bushes in the park, but that was going to be a very last resort...

There is a little diner/cafe where I get out of the subway, and I saw a guy walk out of there. I asked him if I could use their restroom, and he looked totally perplexed. Then I asked for "el bano" and he smiled and said "yes!" I am so happy I learned some Spanish. It comes in handy sometimes. I made it back to the park just in time.

This week our hill training begins, so the long runs had some extra hills built in.

I ran with my friend Sarah today. Neither one of us are beginner runners, but we are beginner marathoners. We sort of straddle that line between beginner and intermediate. So we decided to do the intermediate run distance today. The run was a 5 mile loop around Prospect Park first - (you do one section of the park twice to make it 5 miles), then repeat the big hill at the top (1.25 miles each way). After that we turned around and did the loop of the park the other way (3.3 miles) and repeated the other big hill in the park (.5 miles each way).

At the end of the run, I could really feel it. My muscles in my hips were tired and sore, my left hamstring was sore, and my right calf was hurting behind my knee. When we finally stopped, I felt like Gumby. I felt like my legs weren't attached to me.

We had our Honored Teammate breakfast afterwards. I walked over to Two Boots Restaurant (a pizza joint that is a mix of Louisiana Style & Italian Style - hence the "two boots") where we were eating. I was so hungry! I devoured a bunch of biscuits, a pancake, some fruit, potatoes, and a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Our honored teammate is a young girl in her 20's who is a Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor. She was very sweet, and she was almost apologetic that her experience with cancer and remission wasn't so bad. She said the worst thing that happened to her was pneumonia, and that has made running difficult for her ever since. She has done a few half-marathons, and she will be doing New Jersey with us.

6.7 Miles & a Delicious Donut

I ran 2 loops of Prospect Park today with my friends Elizabeth and Sara. That is 6.7 miles. Not too shabby after doing 5 miles yesterday! It wasn't too bad.

After we finished I was really hungry. I spotted a donut shop on 7th Ave & 9th Street in Park Slope where I get on the subway.


Elizabeth and I decided to get a donut for the road, and that was the best decision we have made in a long time. Delicious! One of the best donuts I've had in a long time. It was more Dunkin' Donuts style than Krispy Kreme style, and it was so light and fluffy and yummy. This post-run donut thing may become a habit...

My Longest Race So Far

This morning I did the Fred Lebow 5 Mile Race. My time was 44:53, and I am very happy with that!

I got up at 7:00 this morning and had some water, dry cheerios, and a little bit of peanut butter (the breakfast of champions).

Since we live in an old tenement building in NYC, we have no laundry facilities in the building. Our one real luxury is that we drop off the laundry and get it washed and folded. It is actually pretty great. It doesn't cost much more than doing it myself at the laundromat, and I am willing to pay it to have the free time. I'm buying my Saturday. The laundry ladies do a good job, and have an amazing ability to pack an insane amount of laundry into one bag. We will bring it in 2 bags, and somehow they always cram it into one when it is clean and folded.

Last night I went out to dinner with a friend, and Rick picked up the laundry. I should have unpacked the bag when I got home, but I was tired and wanted to go to bed. So after my breakfast this morning, I had to try to find my running clothes in the crammed full laundry bag.

Rick was still sleeping at 7:30, and I don't think he was too pleased that I turned on a light. Of course my running clothes were all the way at the bottom, so I had to unpack almost the whole bag to get to them. And if I am going to unpack the bag, I might as well put the clothes away at the same time, right? After a few minutes I heard Rick say, "Can I help you find whatever you are looking for?" while his head was buried under a pillow to block out the light. I think this actually translates to "Stop making all that noise, and turn off the light. I'm trying to sleep here!" Lucky for him, I had just found what I needed and got out of there.

I didn't leave the apartment until 8:00, which was a little later than I planned on. I got to the subway and saw a few other people in running clothes with chip timers on their shoes. It is easy to spot who else is going to the race. I also spotted this little guy:

I'm going to call him Randolph the Rat. He was galloping all around the subway platform, and he seemed to be having a great time. No fear of humans at all!

The subway came, and I got on. When we got to the next stop, I saw that an express train was there. When jumped off the local and walked across the platform to the express, the doors closed. "Oh well," I thought, and walked back to the local. Then the doors closed on the local train! Crap! I missed them both! That never happens. I was already running late, and now I was really kicking myself. I should have just stayed on the local train. It took another 5 minutes for the next train to come.

Finally I arrived at Central Park. There were a lot of people in line for the port-a-potties (as usual). But, when you are running a longer race, you want to make sure you go before...

This picture was taken after the race, so everybody is gone.

I had only a few minutes to spare, and I had to check my coat and get to the starting line. At the last minute I decided to take off one layer, and I am so glad I did. The temperature was in the mid-40's and sunny. In that weather you warm up pretty fast.

The first mile was pretty slow. You are running in a huge pack of 4400 people, so it takes a while to thin out the heard. I ran into my friends from TNT, Elizabeth and Sara, about a mile into the race. I was pushing myself for this one, so we didn't stay together for the run. I picked up the pace for the next 4 miles.

According to my watch:
Mile 1: 10:06
Mile 2: 08:39 (easiest part of course, downhill and flat)
Mile 3: 08:45
Mile 4: 09:08 (hardest part of course with a big hill)
Mile 5: 08:14 (long and flat)

Distance: 5.0 Miles, 8.0 Kilometers
Date/Time: Jan. 12, 2008, 9:00 am
Location: Central Park, NYC
Weather: 44 Deg. 53% Wind Calm

There were 4409 total racers (2065 women).
My overall place was 2315, my gender place was 737, and my age place was 312. Finish Time 44:53, Pace/mile 8:58.



That's me, Elizabeth, & Sara (post race)

And that is Larry the Lighthouse. He runs the NJ Marathon with that thing on!

Breaking down the finish line.



After the race, I went to my gym. Now, that might sound crazy after running a 5 mile race, but it isn't! We had a Water Shut Off Notice on the door of our building yesterday.

I knew that if I wanted a shower between the hours of 10am and 2pm, it wasn't going to be possible at home. Thank goodness for the gym membership! I took a shower there before going home. Here is what our street looks like this afternoon:

5 Mile Race Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the Fred Lebow 5 Mile Race in Central Park. This will be the longest race I have ever done, but it won't hold that title for long!

I picked up my race number and shoe chip timer last night at the NY Road Runners office on 89th street.

Look out for racer # 1139!

60 degrees in January

I don't think I am going to get any sympathy about running outside in the temperatures we've had this week. On Tuesday night it was around 60 degrees. I can't really complain about that! I was planning on putting on a long sleeve shirt over the tank top when I got to the coffee shop meeting place, but I got there too late. Everyone was leaving when I arrived. Oh well. It actually wasn't cold in a tank top in shorts. My wrists were cold, but that was about it.


During the run, we worked on effort levels. The theory is that there are 4 effort levels (E1, E2, E3, & E4). E2 is supposed to the comfortable pace where you can still talk and run. E3 is a little more challenging, your breathing should be a little harder. E4 is all out. You shouldn't be able to talk more than a word or two when you are in E4. E1 is a nice, slow pace where you can recover from harder running.

We did some drills where we alternated between running E4 and E1. First there was a nice normal warmup lap in E2, and then the hard running began. We did about a minute or two in E4, and then a minute or two in E1. This went on for about an hour, and I was really thirsty afterwards (and tired). I slept like a baby that night.

2 Mile Mini-Run

I'm feeling a lot better today. I'm still moving slowly, but at least I am moving! Being sick really took a lot out of me.

I had some ambitious goals before I got out of bed. I thought maybe I would go up to Central Park and do the 6 mile loop. As soon as I got up, I realized that was kind of insane. I really didn't have the energy for much, and I didn't want to tire out and be really far from a subway.

So I changed my mind and decided to do a few loops of Washington Square Park. That way I could walk home when I got tired. The perimeter of the park is a little over half a mile. I did 4 loops around it, and then I was done. There is no way I could have made it through a full loop of Central Park. I felt a little like a zombie running. My legs were moving, but it felt like they belonged to someone else.

2 miles really isn't much when you are training for a marathon, but I was still happy I did it. I also got to wear my new running jacket with the fun thumb holes. (Thanks Vince & Leyda!)

--- 2 Miles Today! Note the zombie-like expression in my eyes... ---

The weather is going to be crazy warm for the next few days. 60 degrees! I'm not sure what to wear for Tuesday night's workout. It can't be shorts weather in January, can it?

Ugh. That was not fun.

Normally I would be at marathon training right now. But not today...

Around 5pm yesterday I started to feel like my lunch wasn't going to stay down. I thought the feeling would pass, but it didn't. One of my co-workers said he was feeling a little feverish and nauseous also. We didn't eat lunch together, so I doubt it was anything we ate. Since I wasn't really busy at work, I decided to head home right away. I grabbed a plastic bag just in case.

Getting on the subway wasn't fun, but I thought a taxi would be worse. All that starting and stopping, just the thought of it makes my stomach turn. As soon as I got home things got worse. My stomach really was not happy. I'll spare you the details.

I woke up this morning feeling a lot better. My fever is gone, and that makes me more comfortable for sure. I'm exhausted, but I feel semi-human again. I'm pretty happy to be out of the bed at least. I was getting tired of being there.

Rick and I were supposed to go to New Jersey this afternoon to see our friend's new baby after marathon training. I don't think that is going to happen now. I think I should stay away from them. If I got their newborn sick, I don't think they would be too happy with me.

I'm pretty disappointed that I couldn't make it to marathon training today. This would have been the first group training session that I could attend in 2 weeks. Christmas and New Year's Eve really messed up the schedule. Hopefully I can do the long run tomorrow by myself.

The Bronx Half-Marathon in 5 WEEKS! Yikes!

We get lots and lots of emails from our TNT coaches. They tell us what we will be doing on a particular workout, remind us to keep fundraising, etc. We got an email this week with the January workout schedule and a little preview of what February will be.

Every month we do a race in New York. It gets us used to running in large groups in a competitive environment. You get the chip timer for your shoe, pin the number on your shirt, all that fun stuff.


The ChampionChip shoe timer is actually pretty cool. It records YOUR actual time, not the time on the start and finish clock. By the time I reached the starting line at the Holiday 4 Mile Race, the clock already read 6:51. There are tons of people, and it takes a while to get there.

The race we are doing in January is the New York Road Runners Fred Lebow Classic 5 Mile. OK, that sounds doable. It's on January 12th, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be warmer than it was this morning (12 degrees!!!).

Now here is where it gets scary. This is a direct quote from our head coach. "note: The february event will be the bronx 1/2 marathon ALL participants (except half marathoners) will be participating in this one." He sounds so casual about that! That was just a little note at the end of a list of things we will be doing in January. If you skim the email, you might not even notice it.

Gulp. That means me. I am one of those "ALL participants." The Bronx half-marathon is on Sunday, February 10th at 8:00am. 13.1 miles! Oh boy. I knew long distances were coming, but I didn't realize they were coming so soon!

I'm going to my friend Holly's wedding on February 9th. It's in Manhattan around 6pm. So, I'm thinking it must end around 11-ish. I doubt I would sleep well the night before my first half-marathon no matter what I did the night before, so it should be fine. I will have to remember to only have the champagne with a toast, and no other drinks. It's a good thing she is getting married at a pizza place (John's Pizza in Times Square - so fun!). I can carb load at the wedding on pizza and garlic bread.


I'm hoping that global warming really kicks in on February 10th. Temperatures in the 40s would be great.