NYC Half Marathon Race Review 2015

On Sunday, Tom and I ran the NYC Half Marathon sponsored by United Airlines and Tata Consultancy Services.  I must have tried at least 25 times to write this post, but I'm having a bit of conflict over this race. It was good...not magical, but good.

Sometimes its a race and sometimes its a journey.  I decided early on that the NYC Half would be a journey.  Perhaps that was my first mistake.  I convinced myself that I wanted to live in the moment and take photos along the way.  Note to self: the next time I want to "live in the moment", I'm doing it at a pace that makes me happy.

Anyway, we got into the city at 5:30 am and many of the parking garages were closed.  Surprise!  Instantly I could feel Tom switch into panic mode.  We finally found a garage under Lincoln Center that was open.  Parking was a mere $36, but that's NYC for you.

It was still dark and cold outside. Not brutally cold, but early-morning-in-mid-March cold. We decided not to use gear check because there's always a million people clamoring for their stuff, and we wanted to avoid that. Perhaps mistake number 2.

We arrived at the start line with a little over an hour to spare. So now we stood there, in the cold corral for over an hour before the race even began.  Mistake 3.  My toes were frozen solid.

Finally, the race started and Tom and I stayed together.  The first 6 miles were a loop of Central Park.  After doing the 9+1 program last year with NYRR's, I came to realize that I'm sick of running around Central Park.  It's very hilly and slightly boring IMO.  Tom saw a friend of his from Goruck at mile 4 and stopped for a quick photo. "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up" is a Goruck mantra.

After 6 miles, we exited Central Park and headed down Broadway towards Times Square.  This is where the race took on an epic feeling for a few minutes.  We slowed down and took in the lights and sounds of Times Square.  It felt amazing to be there.  We saw ourselves on the big screen and the crowd support was great.  When we reached 42nd Street we headed for the West Side Highway.

There were DJ's set up along the route to entertain us and I thought it was funny that two different DJ's were spinning Run DMC tunes.  One played Walk this Way and the other played It's Tricky.  Talk about a 1980's flashback! All of us older folks were singing along.

So now we turn onto the West Side Highway and boom, we're hit with a cold, damp wind.  I'm tempted to fumble around to see if I can find my gloves (which are in my jacket pocket which is tied around my waist) but it was too complicated.  I decided to deal with being cold.  We ran past Chelsea Piers and head toward the Freedom Tower, which looks so far away at this point.

There are decent amount of spectators along West Side Highway as well as drummers, CHEER NY and more DJ's (this time it was Fireball by Pitbull).  They really did help to keep us all moving along and they made the race a lot more fun. I even forgot that I was cold.  Best of all, Tom wore a shirt that said "Running Sucks".  That received A LOT of funny comments along the way.

Once we made it downtown, we passed the Freedom Tower and headed into the Battery Park City Tunnel.  Tom and I have driven through this tunnel in the past, but it suddenly felt a lot longer running through it.  Our last incline was when we exited the tunnel and made our way towards the finish line on Wall Street.

We crossed the finish line in 1:58:49 (me) and 1:58:50 (Tom). It was not a PR for us, but what we started together, we finished together and I believe we can tolerate running together at the NYC Marathon in November.  I only lost Tom once in the crowd and that was because I stopped to take a picture and he didn't realize I had pulled over.


We grab our medals and headed out of the finish line chute.  Everyone was provided with a grab bag which included water, Gatorade, an apple and pretzels.  There was no after party like other races.  Since we didn't check any gear we didn't have warm, dry clothes to put on.  That was our own fault.  I noticed however that the gear check line, at both the start and finish were empty. There was no chaos to drop off or pick up your stuff. We should have taken advantage of gear check. Just sayin. 

We made our way to the subway, got back to our car and headed home.  Tom decided to take the GWB since the West Side Highway was a nightmare of traffic because of the race.  We made it home by noon and had the rest of the day to relax and enjoy a nice late lunch.

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

If I ever get a chance to run the NYC Half Marathon in the future, I will.  I think my expectations may have been a bit overboard.  I mean lets face it...of course it's fun running down Broadway into Times Square, but keep in mind that this is a very tiny portion of the overall race.  Most of the race is around hilly Central Park and the West Side Highway.  I guess I should have kept that in perspective.

It was fun running with Tom around Central Park and through Times Square, but next time I'm running West Side Highway by myself.  I started feeling funky (not in a happy dancy sort of way) and at that point I just wanted to get to the finish line.  Plus I tend to get a bit on the bitchy side whenever I'm racing.  Its that feeling of 'I need this race to be done'.

If you ever have a chance to run the NYC Half, do it!  Just don't build it up into something more than it should be. In the end, 13.1 miles is a far way to go.

Next up: Rutgers Unite Half Marathon

QUALIFYING FOR THE BOSTON MARATHON AND THE RACE OF MY LIFE

IN THE END, THE MARATHON BECOMES A TEST OF MENTAL WILL

If you commit yourself to a training schedule and you learn how to fuel and pace yourself properly for the distance, the marathon becomes a mental race.

As I reflect back on it now, I truly believe that I qualified for the 2016 Boston Marathon because of 4 key strategies which came together for me on race day.  

My December Workout Schedule

A PRE-DETERMINED WORKOUT SCHEDULE:
After reading the book Mastering the Marathon by Don Fink, I decided having a calendar and workout schedule would be extremely important and helpful.  In the book, the author outlines 3 key workouts that must be incorporated into a 16 week training plan; long run day, marathon pacing day and speed intervals.

Unfortunately, I didn't discover the book until I was 8 weeks away from my marathon so I missed the first 8 weeks of his 16 week program. The only option I had (if I wanted to follow his training plan) was to use the last 8 weeks of his program.

I downloaded an online calendar and filled in a weekly plan that included time, distance and pace.  Having everything clearly written down made life so much easier.  I never had to waste time looking through the book trying to figure out which workout I should be doing on any given day.  So, take a couple of hours out of your day and put together a realistic workout plan for yourself...on paper!

A FUELING STRATEGY THAT WORKS FOR YOU:
In the 3 years since I've been running, I had never put much thought or emphasis on a fueling strategy.  Truth be told, I didn't have any fueling strategy. That changed last summer when I entered into the sport of triathlon.

Suddenly, I was hanging out with people who completed Ironman distance races and heard their war stories of how a fueling strategy made or destroyed their race.  I decided it was time I learn something about fueling during an endurance sport.

A good fueling strategy MUST be good for YOU personally! I cannot emphasize this enough!  For me, fueling isn't a one-size-fits-all option and having Crohn's disease makes it a bit more challenging for me.

Once I was able to run 16 mile practice runs, this was when I began incorporating a fueling strategy into the plan.  I discovered that while I didn't mind the taste of sports beans, I was having a hard time chewing them as I ran (not to mention that I would constantly drop beans along the way).  I wasn't crazy about the texture of sports gels either, and both beans and gels made me extremely thirsty for water.

Eventually I settled on salted caramel flavored GU.  It took a few tries for me to be able to consume a packet quickly but once I was used to it, I was good to go.  I suggest you try various fueling products and find the ones that work for you personally.  Again, one size does not fit all.

I also tried various strategies for fueling until I found one that worked for me.  I consumed a packet of GU 30 minutes before the race, then another GU 45 minutes into the race, followed by water.  Every 30 minutes thereafter I consumed a packet of GU followed by water.  In between the packets of GU, I would drink a sports drink (PowerAde was provided on the Louisiana Marathon course).  The combination of GU always followed by water and a sports drink in between, worked perfectly for me during the race.

PACE YOURSELF PROPERLY FOR THE BEST RESULTS:
I cannot stress the importance of learning how to pace! Going into the marathon my goal was to average 8:45 per mile during the marathon.  I determined my marathon pace by using my most recent half marathon pace of 8:01 per mile.  I decided that if I could run 8:01 per mile for a half marathon, than an 8:45-8:50 per mile pace should be reasonable and doable for a marathon.

I based all of my training runs on an 8:45 per mile pace.  Long slow run days were done at 60 to 90 seconds slower than this pace (9:45-10:15 per mile).  Speed intervals were based on the fastest pace that I could hold which was usually 6:50 to 7:20 per mile.

But I still had one question; how should I pace myself on race day? Should I start at race pace or should I run slower than my race pace? Should I try "banking" a few seconds during the first 6 miles?  No one could give me a straight answer on this.

I turned to a triathlete friend and asked him for a pacing strategy that made sense.  Since I had never ran a marathon for pace, he wasn't sure what I was capable of. He gave me a simple plan that worked!  Run the first 15 miles at or 5 seconds slower than my race pace (this meant that I was supposed to run 8:45 to 8:50 per mile for the first 15 miles).  At mile 15 I was to mentally assess how I felt.  IF I felt good and I believed I had enough energy to pick up the pace, I was to pick up the pace at mile 15 and hold as long as I could (hopefully to the finish line).

This was EXACTLY what I did and I was one of very few people who ran the second half of the marathon faster than the first half.  But why was this strategy so important?  After much thought I discovered why this worked:

By waiting until mile 15 to pick up the pace, my body was better able to determine a pace that it was realistically capable of.  You see when run a marathon, the first 13.1 miles feels easy because you are now used to running a distance that is much longer than 13.1 miles (hopefully you've done several 16 and 20 mile practice runs).  By mile 15 however, the body has become fatigued and it now has a better sense or idea of what it can and cannot do.  You may think it's a risky strategy, but its a lot less risky than using up all of your energy in the first half of the marathon.  If you wait until mile 15 to run at a faster pace, you still have 11.2 miles to make up for "lost time".  And that's a decent amount of distance to cover.  So mile 15 was where my race really began.

NOTE:  My goal going into the Louisiana Marathon was to average 8:45 per mile.  I ended up averaging 8:41 per mile and exceeded my goal. And I didn't feel as though I was dying during the race either.

PREPARE YOUR BRAIN AND LEARN TO SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!
As silly as this may sound, I put a lot of work and emphasis on preparing myself mentally for this race.

There were practice runs where I purposely didn't fuel properly because I wanted to see how I would handle running while feeling fatigued and out of energy.  I took spin classes with tough instructors who knew my goal and purposely tortured me all little extra during class. They would test me to see if I could mentally push myself through their abuse and I thank each and every one of them for the flogging they gave me.  All free of charge mind you!  They made my workouts a bit more difficult and would yell at me to "pick up the pace" or "stay true to myself".  One would say "you have 2 more minutes on this hill.  What are you going to do with it? Are you going to quit or are you going to push harder and give more"? They taught me how to mentally "zone out" the pain and focus on the goal.

During the marathon I didn't have too many pain issues to contend with.  I don't know if it was because I was physically prepared, mentally prepared or a bit of both.  When pain crept up during mile 15, I was able to forget it very quickly.  When my foot and calves started to cramp at mile 22, I was able to stop the cramp before it ever took hold.  When I wanted to stop and walk at mile 23, I put that thought out of my head immediately and focused on breathing and coming across the finish line strong. I told myself "it's only a 5k. You've run plenty of 5k's. You know what to do and you know if you stop your muscles are going to stiffen up. Are you ready to give up on qualify for Boston during the last 5k of this marathon"???  I talked to myself and focused on the finish line and my goal.

Where you are mentally at any time during the race is of absolute importance.  Enjoy the journey, enjoy your surroundings, enjoy what you are capable of doing.  Talk to yourself in a positive way. Envision yourself coming through the finish line strong and confident.  Know that all of your training has helped you get to this very moment.  When the doubt demons come...and they will...SLAM the door on them immediately! Tom told me "whatever bad may happen, don't let it into your head". And that's what you have to do.  Don't let anything negative get into your head! Negativity is a very powerful creature.

It really takes a lot of focus to run 26.2 miles non-stop.  But if you train yourself physically, if you learn how to pace and fuel properly, and if you learn how to block out the doubt demons, you CAN do it!  I know you can! I know you will!

LOUISIANA MARATHON RACE REPORT 2015

ITS OFFICIAL...I AM A BOSTON QUALIFIER!!!

You can never be sure how race day is going to turn out. But this race day turned out to be spectacular.  In fact, better than expected.  The weather was perfect, the course was scenic and flat, the spectators came out to cheer, and I was ready to run for a Boston qualifying time.

Leading up to the Louisiana Marathon, a couple of injuries plagued me.  First, my ankle had been acting up since September then my right knee decided to go the week before Christmas.  I discovered that my knee issue was related to my IT Band and I had 5 short weeks to stretch and strengthen it, along with my hip flexors.  Would 5 weeks be enough?

HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS AND PACKET PICKUP:

We arrived in Baton Rouge on Friday morning, January 16th.  Our first stop was to The Staybridge Suites at LSU.  Since we arrived early, we weren't sure if a room would be available to us.  The staff was very nice and a room was waiting for us.  The room was terrific.  It had 2 queen sized beds, a small kitchen area and a small sitting area.  It was very clean, comfortable and the location was great.  There were restaurants within walking distance but since we rented a car we decided to explore a bit.  The staff made sure to have coffee available early on race day for the runners.

Packet pickup was okay.  I received multiple bib numbers for the 5k race (I was doing the 5k on Saturday and full marathon on Sunday) and the line was incredibly long and slow. They needed more workers issuing packets.  After receiving both bibs, I had to go to the timing company to have the bib issue resolved.  Although they resolved it quickly, they were not very nice about it.  Hey, not mistake buddy.

The expo was small compared to the NYC Marathon and the Marine Corps Marathon, but it was very nice nonetheless.  We bought some gear and I bought a delicious granola mix from Animae Mix (http://mostdelightfulfoods.com/).  Their almond blueberry granola was delicious.  Altra running had a booth set up and after talking with the reps, I may give Altra a try the next time I need running sneakers.   

THE LOUISISANA QUARTER MARATHON AND 5K RACE:

The Quarter Marathon (new this year) and the 5k race started at 7:30 am near the Capitol building in downtown Baton Rouge.  Caitlin and I were running the 5k while husband Tom was going the distance in the Quarter Marathon.  I decided to do the 5k race with Caitlin because if I ran on Saturday and Sunday, I would receive the DeJa Vu Award...which was a crawfish tray. I wanted the crawfish tray, ok?! Don't judge!

Caitlin and I didn't "race" since I wanted to save my legs for the full marathon on Sunday.  But hubby Tom took off and did really well with a Quarter Marathon time of 54:19 at an average pace of 8:18 per mile. He came in 4th place for his age group and was the 30th Quarter Marathon finisher to cross the line.  Caitlin and I mainly walked the 5k course and took some photos along the way.  We enjoyed sharing some girl time together.

The after party was organized very nicely with fantastic musicians and fabulous food.  We hung around for a while and enjoyed the party atmosphere. I've decided I should learn some Cajun style recipes.  We had a dirty rice with pulled pork and a kielbasa type sausage in it.  It was truly yummy.  I also had corn and crab soup which was outstanding!


THE LOUISIANA MARATHON...aka RACE DAY!

And here it was! Everything that I had worked for over the last several months came down to this one moment in time.

I woke up at 4:00 am and had a bowl of oatmeal (I brought a packet along) and a cup of coffee. On the way to the race, I sipped Gatorade and drank water.  We arrived at the parking lot 1 hour before the start time and secured the last parking spot!  It was freezing in the morning but the temperature was expected to climb into the low 60's.  I decided to wear a tank top and compression shorts. I kept my sweat jacket on until the very last second and I wore a pair of cheap gloves.  If my hands freeze before the race, I'm DONE! I'd rather throw the gloves away on the course than have frozen hands at the start.

Since the marathon course was an out and back I decided to start directly behind the 3:45 pace group.  I figured I could use them as a guide to determine how fast or slow I was going throughout the race.

The cannon fired and we were off!  Immediately I noticed the 3:45 pace team pull away and leave me in the dust.  I wasn't going to try and keep up with them since my race strategy was to run the first half of the race at a slower pace of 8:45 to 8:55 per mile.

ON THE COURSE:

The race began in downtown Baton Rouge and wound its way towards LSU. It was very pretty and scenic running around the LSU lake.  The morning mist hung over the water and white birds bobbed around looking for food.  There were a lot of spectators on the course holding signs, a few people dressed in costume and family and friends cheered us on.  Crowd support was outstanding! The race directors had plenty of water and PowerAde stations set up throughout the entire course.

The first timing mat was located at the 10k mark.  In advance, I had signed up for "track a runner", so I was anxious to see my split time.  After crossing the 10k mat, the text came through and all it said was that I had reached the 10k mark and that my ETA was 10:52 am.  Since the marathon started at 7:00 am and I was close to the start line I figured I was running a 3:52:00 marathon.  Not getting a per-mile pace split was a major disappointment!!!

I continued on enjoying the scenery and running at a comfortable pace.  Not too fast, not too slow.  Eventually the course split and the half-marathoners went left, while the marathoners went to the right.  The second half of the race put us through various neighborhoods in Baton Rouge.  A lot of homeowners came out to show their support and offered us water, oranges, apples, donuts and even beer.  Someone had a full bar set up on their front lawn.

I reached the next timing mat at mile 13.1.  The text message came through that my ETA was now 10:55 am.  This meant that I was running a 3:55:00 marathon and at this rate I would not qualify for Boston. At that point I picked up my pace a little bit and brought it to 8:39 per mile.  I held my 8:39 pace until mile 15.

MILE 15.  IT'S WHERE THE RACE REALLY BEGINS!

I didn't realize it at the moment, but this was where my "race" would begin.  The week before the Louisiana Marathon, I had spoken to a professional Kona-Qualifying Ironman triathlete who offered me pacing advice.  He told me to run the first fifteen miles 5 to 10 seconds slower than my anticipated pace (I was aiming for an 8:45 average pace).  He told me when I reached mile 15 I should do a mental scan on how I felt.  IF I felt good at mile 15, I could pick up the pace and hammer away to the end.  BUT I would have to trust the system.  I admit I was nervous about trusting this pacing strategy, but since I believed in him and his advice, I put my trust in his system.

At mile 15, I began dropping my pace down to 8:32 per mile (according to my watch).  At mile 16, I noticed the balls of my feet felt as if someone set them on fire.  I ignored the burn and the future blisters that were coming my way and just kept going.  At mile 19.6 I crossed another timing mat.  My new ETA was 10:42 am!  Holy smokes, I made up some serious time!  I'm running a 3:42:00 marathon! And best off all...the 3:45 pace group was suddenly in my sights.  If I could just stay close to the pace group I would qualify for Boston!

At mile 22 I felt a foot cramp begin in my left foot.  I tried to relax my body and feet, hoping the cramp would subside...it did!  As soon as the foot cramp subsided however, both of my calves felt as though they were ready to cramp.  Again I tried to relax my body and focus on rhythmic breathing in an attempt to avoid the cramps taking hold.  They never took hold.

I reached mile 23 and had no physical pain to complain about.  Minor aches here and there, but nothing major at all.  I did notice however that my breathing sounded labored.  I struggled to get it under control and slowed my pace down.  At this point, I was no longer looking at my watch.  When I reached mile 25 I knew I would qualify for Boston, short of a truck hitting me at that point.

I'm a Boston Qualifier!

At mile 26 I sent Tom a text that said "26".  I wanted to give him a heads up that I was close.  The crowd was encouraging the runners to the finish line.  I heard Tom shout "go Arletta" from the side.  I ran straight through the finish line, threw my arms in the air and began to cry.  A girl put a pretty finishers medal around my neck and before I knew it, Tom and Caitlin were there to greet me.  I walked over to them, hugged Tom and began to sob...and I mean sob. I was a crying idiot! Poor Tom!

Every emotion that I had felt over the last several months escaped me in that one moment.  I felt a huge sense of relief and pride in my accomplishment.  Going into this race I suspected that I should be capable of qualifying for Boston, but you never know what race day holds for you.  This race day however held a bit of magic for me.  Somehow it felt as though a positive power surrounded me and helped me run the race of my life!  Things that could have, should have or would have gone wrong, didn't go wrong.  All of the things that I worried about in training, never happened. It felt as though this race was meant to be. I will always consider the Louisiana Marathon and Baton Rouge with the fondest of memories.  Someday I will return and run this race again...with positive power!

MY OFFICIAL MARATHON RACE PACE SPLITS:
Start line to 10k mark: 8:49 per mile
10k to 13.1 mile marker: 8:58 per mile
13.1 to 19.6 miles: 8:38 per mile
19.6 to Finish Line: 8:51 per mile

Official Marathon Finish Time: 3:47:26 
Average Pace: 8:41 per mile

NUTRITIONAL INTAKE AND HYDRATION:
30 minutes before the race I consumed 1 packet of GU.  When I was forty-five minutes into the race I consumed another packet of GU followed by water.  After that I consumed 1 packet of GU every 4 miles and followed the GU with water.  In between however I drank PowerAde, which was provided to us on the course.

Louisiana Quarter Marathon and 5k Completed!

Caitlin and I crossing the finish line of the Louisiana 5k
 

LESSONS LEARNED FROM MARATHON TRAINING

THINGS YOUR MAMA NEVER TOLD YOU

And there we have it folks. 5 weeks out from my marathon and I ended up with an injury.  Runner's knee otherwise known as ITBS (IT Band Syndrome).  Like most runners, I asked myself "what did I do right, what did I do wrong"?  Through my mental assessment (and complete self-honesty), I discovered interesting things about marathon training.  Things no one ever told me. Or maybe they did tell me and I just missed the memo.

I'm not one of those people who has a specific training plan for races less than 13.1 miles.  My typical long run day (when I'm not marathon training) is 10 to 11 miles anyway.  So when it came to marathon training I figured it was a matter of adding distance, being consistent and learning about fueling. Well that was wrong.  There is so much more that goes into it, things I never realized...until now. The list of things that I did right and wrong is long.  But here are a few key things that I wanted to share with you.

THE GOOD:
As soon as I was done reading my marathon training book, I made a training schedule for myself.  Using an online calendar, I pre-planned all of my workouts including distance, pace and rest days.  The calendar worked out well for me because I never had to guess at what I should be doing on any given day.  Plus I never blew off a training run because the calendar would make me feel guilty.  So I stuck with my plan until the runners knee or ITBS happened.  And btw, runners knee can be extremely painful!

I built my distance up in small, 10% increments each week.  Also, a slow run day meant running 60-90 seconds slower than my anticipated marathon pace.  Over the last few months I have felt my aerobic system and breathing improve greatly.  I credit this to slow run days. And a slow run day doesn't mean its an easy run day.

I added in speed workouts.  Not every run day is meant to be slow and this was the first time that I have ever added speed workouts into my training plan. While I hated every single speed session that I had to do (actually I dreaded them), I did get the greatest sense of accomplishment after completing each one.

I did a "marathon pacing" run each week and LOVED marathon pacing days. This is where you do a slow warm up run, then you run holding your marathon pace for a certain amount of time, and end with a cool down run.  Each week the warm up run gets shorter and you hold the marathon pace for longer.  It became my favorite workout every time.

I concentrated on my daily nutrition by adding a lot more fruits, veggies and lean protein into my diet.  I cut a lot of sugar and refined carbs out of my diet. Smartest thing I ever did was cut refined carbs and sugar down.

On long run days I practiced specific fueling strategies during my run.  Eventually I dialed in on a fueling plan that works for me.  45 minutes into the run 1 GU followed by water.  Every 30 minutes I consume 1 GU or Sports Beans and follow up with a mouthful of water.  In between, I take a drink of Gatorade. I try not to overdrink so that its not sloshing around in my tummy.

Out of my 6 day training schedule, 4 days were specific run days and 2 were cross training days (bike and swim).  I honestly believe I would have ended up injured sooner and/or worse had I done 6 days of running with no cross training.  Cross training was good for me.

THE BAD:
There are 2 big mistakes that I made.  My first big mistake was the number of weeks that I trained for this marathon.  You see, when I read my marathon training book there was a 16 week training plan that I wanted to follow.  I counted back from the marathon date and realized that I was 8 weeks away from the marathon.  I decided to start the training program in the middle, or at week 8.  What I DIDN'T account for was the number of weeks that I had ALREADY been training for.  Technically, when I started the training plan I was at week 13 but instead I started it at week 8.  So when all is said and done, I'll have trained 21 weeks for this marathon when I should have trained for 16 weeks.  I also realized that at week 16 I felt fabulous and ready for the marathon.  Week 18 was when I became injured.  So long story short, I overtrained for the marathon by training for too many weeks.

The second big mistake was not strengthening and stretching my hip flexors and gluteus muscles.  Last year, I injured my right side training for the Disney World Marathon.  My injury stemmed from weak hip flexors and gluteus muscles.  You would have thought I would know better, but I was idiot.  It never occurred to me to specifically stretch and strengthen my hips and glutes.  I figured all off my swimming, biking and running automatically stretched and strengthened those areas, when it did not!  This was a huge mistake on my part.

I have since discovered that all of my injuries; SI joint problems, ITBS (IT Band Syndrome, ie runners knee), ankle pain, piriformis syndrome, etc., ALL STEM FROM WEAK HIP FLEXORS AND GLUETUS MUSCLES! I don't care what anyone tells you!  If you have an injury from the waist down, odds are its from weak and overly tight hip flexors and glutes.  Once you add serious distance on with weak, tight hip flexor and glutes...it isn't a question of IF you'll become injured, but WHEN! Trust me on this one and learn from my mistake.

I typically see my chiropractor on a monthly basis for maintenance.  When I started training for the marathon I should have started seeing him every 2 weeks.  When I was 8 weeks out from the marathon, I should have started seeing him on a weekly basis.  He's the best at assessing whether my leg length is off or if my SI joint is off or if I have a tight Psoas muscle.  So the next time I train for a longer distance endurance race, I will make my chiropractor a key factor in my training plan.

I will probably consider doing a 5 day training plan next time as opposed to a 6 day training plan.  I think 6 days is too much for me.

LESSONS LEARNED:
Every time you embark on a new adventure or a new distance, it's all a learning curve.  As long as you learn from it, you've gained a lot.  And to be honest, I don't think anyone ever perfects it.  You just make it as good as possible for yourself.  But here's one last closing note; If you feel pain during your training routine, stop immediately and re-assess your situation.  The smartest thing I did was to immediately stop running when I felt the runners knee come on and take a week off from training.  The thought of not being able to make it to the start line was a very big reality check for me.  So happy running, happy thoughts, stretch and strengthen your hips and glutes.  We'll see what happens at the marathon.  It's almost go time

NYC TRIATHLON 2015 IS A GO!

What an exciting week it has been! 

Three weeks ago, I registered Tom, my brother Lester and I for the 2015 NYC Triathlon (as a relay team).  Although lotteries and my odds of being picked for one are awful, I was still hopeful that we would be chosen. This past Wednesday morning around 8:30 am an email popped up on my phone.  I opened the email and there it was...

CONGRATULATIONS! You have been accepted into the 2015 Panasonic NYC TRIATHLON. 

I did a happy dance all around the kitchen, whooped a couple of times then posted the joyous news on FB.

Its hard to believe that after years of watching the NYC Triathlon on TV, we're finally going to be in it!  I told Tom that when race day finally does arrive I want him to remind me of how excited I was seeing that email.  My excitement of opening it up and seeing the words "Congratulations! You've been accepted".  I know I'll be nervous jumping into the Hudson river, but I want to remember how fantastic the news felt back on that cold November day.  And besides; before we know it, it'll be here anyway.

LOUISIANA MARATHON 2015:

In the meantime, my brain needs to stay focused on the Louisiana Marathon.  The hotel is reserved, airline tickets are bought,  and I'm up to 20 mile run days...I'm ready for this.  In fact, I feel as though I'm ready a bit too early.  I'm trying to kick it down a notch and change up my training routine with 8 weeks left until race day. I know, not the smartest idea but 8 weeks is still a far way out.

I bought a FANTASTIC marathon training book this week.  I wish I discovered this book sooner.  It's called "Mastering the Marathon: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for the 40-plus Athlete" (by Don Fink).  Yup, that's me! 40+ year old athlete hoping to qualify for Boston.

What I love about this book is that everything is broken down into an easy to follow plan.  The author discusses his "Three Magic Bullet" (TMB) training sessions, which I'm looking forward to doing. They are: Marathon Pacing Session, Long Run Day, and Higher-Intensity Repeats.

Each one of these specific training routines (which he explains in detail) are to be done weekly.  The other days can be filled in with either a moderate paced run or a cross training session, which he also explains in detail.  And the best part? No "junk" miles.  In other words, every run or cross training has a greater purpose.

Since I just bought the book this week, I'm frantically trying to read through it.  On Thursday I tried the Marathon Pacing Session which meant running slower than my marathon pace for a certain amount of time, then running at my marathon pace for a certain amount of time, then a cool down.  In the book he breaks down how many minutes your supposed to do each type of training according to a 16 week plan.  I'm jumping into this at week 8, so we'll see if it makes a difference.  But I was able to complete the Marathon Pacing Session according to his instructions.

Since today is a rest day, I plan on printing out a calendar and filling it in with the specific workouts that I need to complete and the time breakdown of each workout.  I'm one of those people who needs a pre-planned schedule. Its just how I roll.

Can I say with absolutely certainty that I will achieve a Boston qualifying time? No, I can't.  But based on everything that I've read so far, I'm a believer that this book will help me get there.  I just have to stick with the plan and continue being dedicated to the training routine, even during the holidays. And of course, as I go along, I'll keep you posted on the last half of my Louisiana Marathon Training Journey.

Here is my "new" marathon training schedule:
Monday: Marathon Pacing Session
Tuesday: Bike 60 minutes, swim afterwards
Wednesday: Long Run Day
Thursday: Bike 60 minutes, swim afterwards
Friday: High-Intensity-Repeats
Saturday: 60 minute moderate pace run
Sunday: Rest day
* The "bike/swim" days can be swapped out for a moderate paced run if I don't feel like biking and swimming. Since it's been so cold here in the Northeast, I haven't been biking outside but I've been taking spin classes instead.  I'm trying to maintain my biking and swimming skills for triathlon season. 

RUN LONG AND PROSPER

Ahhh, long run day.  You just have to love long run days.  No seriously, you do!

I shake my head whenever I hear someone say "I just did a 20 mile run, I'm ready for that marathon".  All I can think is "and good luck with that".

If your plan is to run/walk/run/walk a marathon, its a great strategy. However, your still going to need more than one long practice run.  Remember...respect the race (even if your not "racing" it). Respect the distance! 26.2 miles is a LONG way to go.

DISTANCE RUNNING ISN'T A NUMBERS GAME:

Since there are several variables that go into distance running, you can't focus on distance as the one and only variable.  Long run days are a way to introduce your body to what distance "feels" like.  Its a way to discover what nutrition and hydration your body will need and tolerate on race day.  You'll discover at what point you "hit the wall" and armed with that knowledge you can hopefully prepare yourself to deal with it before it happens.  Mentally speaking? Long run days are the best way to prepare your mind for what lies ahead.  Because trust me, the mental part of long distance running is something that needs to be practiced.

Last year I was training for the Disney World Marathon.  Right out of the gate, I started training too hard and adding distance on too soon. From day one I began over-training and injured my SI joint, my Piriformis muscle and I had posterior hip rotation on my right side.  Essentially, I was a mess.  I began panicking that I wasn't even going to make it to the start line at that point. Mentally, it's an awful way to go into a marathon.

Mile 20 of the DisneyWorld Marathon in 2014

After 7 weeks of rehabilitation, training less but smarter, and finding the most FABULOUS Chiropractor in the state of New Jersey, I made it to the start line feeling pretty good. I did the marathon with my niece and it was our first marathon ever. Even though we didn't have a specific time goal in mind, we still incorporated several long distance runs into our training plan.  Respect the distance!

This year is very different though.  In January 2015, I'll be running the Louisiana Marathon by myself and I have a time goal in mind.  I'd like to see how close I can get to qualifying for Boston.  My dream is to finish in 3:45 but 3:55 or less would technically give me a Boston qualifying time. Even with lots practice, there's never a guarantee on race day. So if I'm taking selfies during the marathon, it means it was a bad day for me.

Long Slow Run Days:

Currently I'm doing long run days again, but this time I'm being smarter and more cautious about over-training.  I run 3 days a week and I cross train with bicycling and swimming.  The more long distance I practice, the more I've discovered that I "hit the wall" at about mile 18.  Part of practice is to make sure that I'm fueling and hydrating properly throughout the entire run.  To me, hitting the wall means that something is off and it can be one or several different reasons.  This is why it's so important to incorporate more than one long run day into your training schedule.

Every 4 miles I eat either a packet of Honey Stingers or a packet of sports beans or a packet of GU (Salted Caramel is the only flavor I can tolerate).  As soon as I'm done eating the entire packet, I make sure to follow it up with plenty of water.  I continue this ritual every 4 miles alternating between different packets of fuel.  This system (eating every 4 miles and drinking water immediately afterwards) is new to me, but so far I'm having good success with it.  Use your long run days to find out what works and doesn't work for you personally.  And, DO NOT DRINK A SPORTS DRINK FOLLOWING GELS, SPORTS BEANS OR GU!  You should drink water after consuming these!

Mentally, I get myself stoked about running...even if it's just a practice run.  Your attitude going into a race or run will dictate EVERYTHING about that run.  You must keep a positive, and if possible, excited attitude about running.  Leave all negativity at home.  I remind myself to relax my neck and shoulders during the run.  I try to smile often because it relaxes me and makes me feel happy.  I try not to dwell on every ache and pain that pops up.  I tell myself "see, this isn't so bad". I practice putting my thoughts somewhere else. 

Anytime I've gone into a race with a negative vibe, I never, ever do my best.  But if I go into a race feeling positive and excited, I typically PR.  So running distance IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD!  Be positive! Be excited! Be confident!  Know that you have practiced this distance more than once and that your body and mind knows how to handle it.  If for any reason you find yourself in pain, you must STOP.  It's never, ever worth injuring yourself!  There will be other races.

Below you'll find a fabulous article from the NY Times about fueling.  This is the strategy that I'm currently using during my long training runs.  So far it's working out well for me.  And please, don't try anything new on race day.  Practice your race day strategy during practice...or else your asking for trouble and a miserable race experience.
 Happy Running!

SPORTS GELS CAN IMPROVE MARATHON TIMES, BUT PACE THEM RIGHT

My weekly training schedule:
Monday: Run 8-10 miles
Tuesday: Bike 20 miles, Swim 1 mile
Wednesday: Run 16-22 miles, one minute per-mile slower than marathon race pace
Thursday: Swim 1 mile
Friday: Swim 1 mile
Saturday: Run 8-10 miles
Sunday: REST
* Bike and swim days are done at a comfortable pace. I do not kill myself on these days since I want to leave something in the tank for run days

MARINE CORPS MARATHON RACE REVIEW 2014

The Marine Corps Marathon race review 2014 is finally here!  WARNING, it's a long one.  I've broken it down into sections making it easier for you to navigate your way through.

Well, it happened! Hubby Tom FINALLY ran his first marathon.  This from the guy who swore that he would never, ever run a marathon. Too late sucker, now you're hooked!

We drove down to DC the day before the race (Saturday). My niece decided to join in the festivities so we picked her up from Staten Island first.  The drive to DC was easy, with minimal/almost no traffic.  We made it there in a little over 3 hours. 

PACKET PICKUP:
Our first stop was the expo which was set up at the Armory.  We parked at RFK Stadium and headed across for packet pickup.  And then there was the line! Holy Hannah, what a long line.  We knew we were in trouble when we saw food carts following the direction of the line (which wrapped around the building).

The line moved pretty quickly though and before we knew it, we were going though baggage check.  One guy tried cutting the line. Big mistake buddy! Once inside, Tom headed to bib pickup while Julie, Caitlin and I headed over to Brooks for a little shopping.

Tom wanted a Marine Corps Marathon windbreaker and swore they would be sold out by the time he got there. Luckily they had plenty in stock.  He bought his windbreaker, a tee shirt, and he bought my niece a shirt as well.  We wandered around the expo, bought a few more items and then headed to the hotel.

The coveted MCM bib

HOTEL:
We stayed at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza which was located less than a mile away from the White House. The room was simple...2 double beds and a bathroom, but we weren't planning on spending a lot of time there anyway. The hotel was very nice, clean and the staff was very friendly.

We relaxed then headed out for some sights.  This turned out to be a mistake.  We walked around DC, saw the White House, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.  DC requires a lot of walking which was a big mistake before a 26.2 mile run!

We went to The HardRock Café for dinner and had to wait forever for a table.  And I mean forever! By the time we finished dinner and got back to the room, it was almost 10:00 pm.

START LINE, HERE WE COME:
We woke up super early and were at the train platform by 5:30 am.  The metro was located across from our hotel so we took the train to the Pentagon Station...along with a million other runners.  After exiting the train, we walked about a mile to reach "Runner's Village".  Tom wasn't sure if we were allowed into Runner's Village, but we were. As long as we went through baggage check.

No problem! I get it!

Once inside Runner's Village we waked with Tom to the corrals.  It was a chilly morning so Tom wore a throw away sweatshirt which kept him warm until the start of the race.  Julie, Caitlin and I walked past the start line and found a hilly overpass where we could watch the start of the race.

The Marine Corps Marathon is filled with all the pomp and circumstance you can imagine.  As we waited for the cannon to fire (yes the race starts with a cannon fire), we realized the hand cyclists and wheelchair bound individuals would start out with a 15 minute lead.  It was truly an amazing sight to see them set off for their 26.2 mile quest.  We cheered, clapped & rang our cowbells!

Next an airplane flew overhead. We saw a group of Navy SEAL parachutists jump out. As they approached land, each parachutist unfurled an American flag. Two large Osprey aircrafts did a fly by and before we knew it, the howitzer fired and the runners were off!!!  It was so awesome being a spectator for a change.  Thousands and thousands of runners charging downhill, ready to complete their 26.2 mile journey.  We clapped, we cheered, we held up signs and rang our cowbells with enthusiasm and pride!

Tom wasn't far back from the start, so we waited and cheered as he ran by. He looked happy. After cheering for the runners we headed out to find a Dunkin Donuts. It was a long, long walk but we finally found one near our hotel.

THE RUN COURSE:   I'll let Tom himself describe this:
As you head past the start line and into the city of Arlington, you're quickly met between Miles 1 and 2 by your first challenge of the day: The largest hill on the entire course.  Crowd support is great here and you charge up and over the hill - for better or for worse.  After you crest the hill, you head back down the grade but are soon met by a several smaller hills as you travel through the spectator-lined streets of Arlington, across the Key Bridge over the Potomac River and onto the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway in Georgetown.  This tree-lined roadway is an out-and-back section of the course and also has many spectators cheering you on.  It eventually takes you down towards one of the mentally-tougher parts of the course, Hains Point, which you come to between Miles 10 and 11.

Hains Point is a peninsula of land astride the Potomac River, with the Jefferson Memorial located right at the beginning.  The road is tree-lined and pretty but there are very few spectators (one notable exception this year being a man standing with his two young children and carrying a sign that said "HONEY, NOW THAT MARATHON TRAINING IS OVER, CAN WE HAVE SEX ON FRIDAYS?").  At Mile 12 you come to the Blue Mile, which commemorates the fallen servicemen and servicewomen from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.  The path is lined on the left-hand side by posters with the names and photos of many of the deceased and with volunteers carrying American flags.  It is a somber reminder of the price many have paid, and most runners traverse the mile quietly looking at the posters, with the only sound you hear being that of feet hitting the pavement.  At the end of the Blue Mile, you are at the halfway point of the race and, coincidentally, the tip of Hains Point, where you turn to head back towards the city.  Although it encompasses only about 5 miles of running, Hains Point feels like a much longer trek and when you finally exit at around Mile 16, you begin to once again hear the welcome sounds of the spectators on the National Mall.

The next four miles on the National Mall are a highlight of the race.  You begin near the Lincoln Memorial and head east past the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian Institution, to the U.S. Capitol, where you turn around and head back west.  This area is probably the most densely packed with crowds of spectators holding signs and cheering you on.  It should be noted that, if you look at a map of the MCM, this section of the course is shaped much like a penis, with the Capitol itself sitting at the "head".  This leads to a plethora of humorous signs in the crowd stating that variations on the theme of "You've Reached The Tip".  Unfortunately, it was shortly after passing the tip when the wheels began to come off for me.  Slight cramping in my right leg that I had begun to feel at Mile 18 now had become much more severe and was now affecting my left leg too.  Somewhere before Mile 19, both legs seized up and I basically had to "hop" like a demented Easter Bunny quickly to the side of the road to stop.  There, several spectators asked me if I was OK and a husband and wife even offered to massage my legs.  I thanked them, declining the offer but I did take a bottle of Perrier the wife offered as I began what could best be described as a limp/run/limp that would carry me the remaining 7 miles or so of the race.

"Beat The Bridge."  This is the mantra of the MCM.  Located at Mile 20 is the 14th Street Bridge that takes you from Washington, D.C. back into Virginia.  If you don't get over the bridge by 1:15pm (which would equate to running roughly a 14 minute per mile pace), you are taken off the course and placed on a "sweeper" bus, ending your race and denying you a finish (and the prized finisher's medal).  There are no spectators allowed on the bridge and the police are actively patrolling it to ensure that only runners with bibs can cross.  Up until the cramping began, I was holding onto an average pace of approximately 9 minutes per mile and had an outside shot at finishing in less than four hours.  Now, as I limped towards the bridge, I was still more than two hours ahead of the sweeper bus but I knew that my hope for a sub-four hour finish was over.  It was here on the bridge where I saw many others also breaking down, some battling cramping like me, others appearing to be dealing with breathing issues or nausea.  As other runners passed by, those of us among "The Walking Dead" trudged across the mile-long bridge, finally reaching Mile 21, with the relief of knowing that, as long as we could at least walk, we would be able to finish.

The next three miles are an out-and-back through Crystal City, where there are again crowds of spectators lining the streets there to cheer you on.  I continued my limp/run/limp gait throughout, getting encouragement from the spectators and even taking a small Dixie Cup of beer from some college students who I had read always make an appearance at the MCM.  As you head north out of Crystal City, it's only a little over two miles to the finish.  Here, near the Pentagon, you have few spectators but the volunteers and the Marines are there to continue to cheer you on.  Shortly you pass by the Runner's Village where the day began, which seems like forever-ago, and head towards the starting line, where the crowds are once again waiting.  You run through a long line of spectators lined up on both sides, several-people deep, screaming and cheering you on.  Here's where I finally saw Arletta, Caitlin and Julie again.  Arletta stepped out and ran with me for a few seconds as I limped/ran/limped past the 26 mile mark.  She gave me a quick hug and an "I love you" and told me she'd see me after I finished.  I was disappointed that they had to see me limping towards the end but it definitely lifted my spirits to have them there.

The final 0.2 miles are exactly what you would expect from the Marines: A steep climb up a hill. Even here, at the very end, they make you earn that medal.  I decided to ignore the cramping and try to run, getting to about 10 feet or so of the finish line before having to revert back to my Easter Bunny "hop" as I crossed over the timing mat.  4 hours, 43 minutes and 27 seconds after I had begun, my marathon was over.  I then proceeded towards the famous Iwo Jima statue, through lines of newly-minted young Marine second lieutenants (both men and women, all looking sharp and squared away) who shook our hands and congratulated us and where one young female lieutenant placed a finisher's medal around my neck.  As it says on the back of the medal: Mission Accomplished.

One last note: Throughout the course, the support and enthusiasm of the volunteers and the Marines was evident.  At water and food stations, both civilian volunteers and Marines (enlisted men and officers alike) enthusiastically handed out water, Gatorade, food, etc. and cheered/encouraged the runners on (there was even one station which was manned entirely by young women from the U.S. Naval Academy).  And throughout the entire course, there were Marines standing by cheering us on.  It's clear that this race is important to the Marine Corps and they take it - and their roles in support of the runners - very seriously.  This race is truly a credit to them and I'm proud to have done my small part to pay honor to them and to their service.  OORAH! and Semper Fi. 

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY:
* We pre-purchased metro cards in advance. That was a good call!

* I do not recommend doing a walking tour of Washington DC the day before the marathon! Your body will pay a price on race day.

* As New Yorkers, we found DC to be a bit strange.  A lot of stores and food places (especially quick serve food places) are closed on the weekends, especially on Sunday. We should have pre-planned our Dunkin Donuts route before we started wandering around town trying to find an open DD shop.

*  DO NOT WALK THROUGH PARKS! Walk around a park, across from a park, but NEVER THROUGH A PARK.  There are a LOT of homeless people throughout DC.  Some will be obnoxious, intimidating and follow you asking for money. If walk through a park your just asking for it.

* Hydrate more throughout the week.

* After the race, the lines getting into the train station was insane! The line for the taxi was insane! Had we stayed at a hotel in the Arlington section, we could have avoided the crowd and stayed to enjoy the after party.  Next time, we're staying in Arlington.

The MCM is an AMAZING experience for both the runners and spectators! I honestly can't say enough great things about this marathon!  They don't call it the "People's Marathon" for no reason.  Someday in the future, we will run the Marine Corps Marathon...together.