Lucky Number 29970

I got my bib number and corral assignment for the marathon!  Ahhh!  This makes it so REAL!
               
I'm in the second wave, on the upper level of the Verrazano Bridge.  SCORE!  Apparently all 3 waves of the marathon have runners on the upper and lower levels of the bridge at the start, but your color is what determines whether you go over or under the bridge to start.  Blue and orange go over and green goes under.  

It is wonderfully lucky that I get to start on the upper level for two reasons: 
1. Great views at the start of the marathon
2. Apparently people on the top level pee off the side of the bridge, and you could get splashed if you're on the lower level.  Ewwww. So many people have warned me about this and I was really really scared that I'd have to add this to my worries on marathon morning.  


So I guess 29970 is my new lucky number!

20 Miles is FAR

Every weekend, I have big plans to do my long run on Saturday morning.  And every weekend, without fail, I procrastinate until I'm doing my long run as late as possible on Sunday.  This weekend was no exception.  I fully intended to go for my long run of 20 miles on Saturday morning.  But then I looked at the weather report and Sunday's weather looked so much better and plus I reaaaaally didn't want to do 20 miles on Saturday so...sure enough, at 3:30pm on Sunday afternoon I was finally dragging myself out the door.  And the weather was really nice on Sunday.  It was perfect running weather.  And my run was actually really good.  I have found that I really need the walking breaks that I let myself take while I refuel during my run, but I have stopped feeling guilty for taking them.  I'm not running the marathon because I want an amazing finish time.  I just want to finish, and will probably walk a little bit during the race itself if that's what it takes to get me to the finish.

Anyway, 20 miles is really really far.  Further than I thought, incidentally, because when I mapped out my path online after I got back I found out that I only ran 19 miles.  Oh well, it was still a productive run, and was the longest I've ever gone in my life.  I didn't really have an appetite afterward, but headed to Brooklyn for dinner with Jonathan anyway. One whiff of the delicious dumplings at Yun Nan Flavor Snack and my appetite was back with a vengeance.  Yun Nan Flavor Snack is consistently rated to have the best dumplings in all of New York City and just so happens to be right near my brother's apartment, lucky for us.  We ate dumplings and noodles while watching the highlights of the Eagles game (I'm now fully on board with Michael Vick after this week!).  All in all a nice little Sunday. 

This week is an easy week, ending with a half-marathon in the Hamptons on Saturday.  I have decided not to race the half-marathon full speed, because I don't want to injure myself and have been having a bit of IT band pain.  It should be a fun race either way and a nice change from my usual running trails on the Hudson River Park and Central Park:

Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: rest
Friday: rest
Saturday: half-marathon (13.1)
Sunday: rest

Oh, P.S.

Did you notice?  I reached my fundraising goal!  Whoo hoo!!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed.  It means so much to me and to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to have your support.  And there's no penalty for going over my goal, so please feel free to continue to donate!

I Want to Ride my Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle...

In case you're wondering, I'm still sick of running.  I'm so thankful that today is a day off and that tomorrow I only have to run 5 miles instead of 8.  I am trying so hard not to think about Saturday when I have to run 20, and am just hoping I have the motivation to drag myself out there to do it.  

But anyway...

Recently I have been thinking a lot about bike riders.  Generally, as a pedestrian on the streets of NYC, I hate them.  Nothing angers me more than when bicyclists come flying through the cross-walk when pedestrians have the walk signal.  If you are going to ride your bike on city streets, you have to follow the rules.  You are not immune to the giant red stop light, and you certainly cannot run these red lights when innocent people are trying to cross the street.  I do not think it's my duty to look every time I cross the street when I have the walk signal, just to make sure a bicyclist is not breaking the law.  I understand that it's a pain in the ass to stop at lights, but that's the price you pay for riding your bike instead of taking the subway. 

And if that's not bad enough, they're generally terrors on the pedestrian paths in Central Park and the Hudson River Park.  They come careening by, sometimes two or three in a horizontal row, as if they have sole privileges to enjoy the path.  The fact that there need to be signs all over the Hudson River Park instructing riders and walkers to "share the path" is unbelievable.  And certainly the bike riders aren't doing it.  I fear for my life every time I cross the path to enter/exit the park, as these bikes come flying by faster than cars. 

I generally keep my feelings of rage to myself, and actively hold myself back from living out my dream of kicking a bicycle as its rider rides into a crowded crosswalk.  It's a struggle, believe me.

But lately, I have made friends with the enemy.  Specifically, Tessa:

Ridden by this bundle of love:

I couldn't help but be impressed as I heard this road warrior's tales of racing home on Tessa in flip-flops to beat a thunderstorm, getting respect from random car drivers commenting on her speed.  I delighted in hearing how she reprimands cars that don't obey the bike lane rules, and praises those who follow the rules especially well (SUCH a teacher...)

And just like that, yesterday I was standing on the corner at Astor Place, contemplating a coffee, when I heard a voice.  "BIKE LANE!"  I looked up to see a bicyclist swerve around me as I stood on the corner.  Then I looked down.  Sure enough, I was standing off the curb, directly in the bike lane:

Incidentally, the only picture of the Astor Place bike lane shows a car parked in the lane, but I was standing exactly where that car was parked when this interaction took place. 

For the first time, I realized that maybe pedestrians are just as annoying to bicyclists are they are to us.  That they are dealing with swerving around cars as well as dumb people who are oblivious to bike lanes.  That some are road warriors fighting daily battles of road etiquette.  Therefore, I'm calling a truce with all the bicyclists of the city.  And I'll try to stay out of the bike lane when I leave work today.

Burned Out

I haven't written in awhile, and it's because I am so sick of running.  I'm stuck in a rut of feeling burned out, both mentally and physically.  After my long run on Sunday, I started feeling a twinge on the side of my right knee.  Not really too painful, but the muscle just felt sore.  I'm not sure if something is wrong with my knee or not, but it felt okay when I ran today.  I have been using my foam roller and taking lots of time to stretch, so hopefully it's fine by the time I do my long run on Saturday (20 miles, good lord).

Today when I was running 5 miles I completely burned out - just did NOT want to be running anymore - and walked home after only doing about 3 and a half.  13 weeks into my training program (with 6 weeks left to go) I am just low on motivation.  I am tired of having to figure out when I'm going to go running each day.  I'm tired of it being an obligation, rather than something I'm enjoying.  I'm tired of missing my yoga class and pilates class.  I'm just...tired. 

Weekly Training Plan:
Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 8 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles (well, actually only 3.5)
Thursday: Spin
Friday: 5 miles
Saturday: 20 miles

Total mileage: 43 miles

Weekly Training Plan

I am sore today.  I felt a little stiff when I got out of bed this morning, but I really noticed it when I was trying to rush down the stairs of the subway station to catch the R train to work.  I wonder if it means that I didn't stretch enough or whether it's normal to be so sore?  I was sore after my 15-miler as well, but I did a lot more stretching/foam-rollering and relaxed in the steam room at Equinox.  Yesterday I took an ice bath after my 17-miler, but it was so cold in the bath and I was so chilly after running in the rain that I only stayed in the ice bath for about 5 minutes.  I heard somewhere that you're supposed to eat bananas to ward off being sore after a hard workout, so maybe I'll try that next week.

This week is another increase in mileage.  Training is getting intense!  My shorter runs that I do on Monday/Wednesday have increased to 5 miles and the Tuesday/Friday runs are 8 miles. It's difficult to do longer weekday runs before work, which is my preferred workout time.  I have started doing the 8-milers after work, but I'm never that enthused about heading out for a run after a long day of lawyering.  Thankfully, this week is the first week in ages that I won't be traveling or out-of-town, so I should have no trouble fitting in my workouts.

Weekly Training Plan
Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 8 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: Spin
Friday: 8 miles
Saturday: 18 miles
Sunday: Rest!

Total: 42 miles

Rainy Running

I was in Washington D.C. this weekend for my friend Sheila's bachelorette party, and I didn't get the chance to do my long run before I got there.  I was coming to D.C. from the suburbs of Boston where I spent the Jewish holiday, and it was difficult enough to do my 8-mile run on Friday let alone a 17-miler on Saturday.  I was seriously nervous about my 17-miler after a night of partying in D.C. and then a 5 hour drive back to NYC today.

The bachelorette was really fun last night.  The best part was that Sheila really loved all the activities her sisters planned for her, and it was so much fun to celebrate such an exciting occasion in my dear friend's life.  So many Sig Taus were there to share in the fun!

Sheila!

I usually get a little out of hand with the drinking when my best friends from college and I get together, but I managed to control myself last night and only had a few drinks spread through the night.  Before bed I drank a Powerade Zero, and even though I didn't get a good night's rest because we went to bed so late and left for NYC so early in the morning, I was able to eat a bagel and drink lots of water during the ride.  I took a little nap when I got back to the city, and then, despite the fact that it was raining, off I went to run 17 miles.

After talking with Katie, Anne Marie and Sarah, I learned that it's okay to stop to walk and regroup during long runs.  I think this advice directly resulted in me having a good run today.  I was tired and hated being in the rain, but I took it nice and slow and walked a little several times to drink water and eat my delicous Powerbar Gel Blasts.  I also ran a slightly different course thanks to Katie's advice, and saw the West Side Highway north of 59th Street for the first time.  It was beautiful up there!  I'm not going to lie, 17 miles felt far, but I was not dead by the end of it and it wasn't the torture that I was dreading it to be.  Thank goodness for my wonderful marathon expert friends!

Weekend Recap & Weekly Training Plan

This past weekend I was supposed to do an 11-mile run on Saturday.  Not a big deal, especially considering I had run 15 miles the week before.  However, as I was running by the ferry terminal for Governor's Island, which was crowded with people, I tripped on the curb and fell.  I skinned my knee and my hands, and bumped my head on the curb.  Anyone who's close with me knows that I had an awful week last week, and this was just the last straw.  I got up, assured the giant audience of people who witnessed the fall that I was okay, and limped home with blood dripping down my leg.  I hate being a quitter, but how awful is that?  I just could not make myself keep going.  I was in pain and did NOT want to be running anymore.  So I missed my long run on Saturday, and then felt guilty for the rest of the weekend because of it.  This weekend I am supposed to do 17 miles, and I am just hoping I'm able to do it after missing my long run last weekend.

Weekly Training Plan:
Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 8 miles (it felt sooo long for a midweek run!)
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: rest
Friday: 8 miles (should be interesting, as I'll be in Wayland, Mass far away from running trails!)
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 17 miles

Total: 41 miles

Random Thoughts

1.  It's really annoying when people are condescending about my inexperience with marathon running, slash think they are the expert on my training.  For example, on Tuesday I had some time to kill at Grand Central, and popped into the running store.  I've been reading a lot about compression socks/tights and was curious to find out more information.  I was approached immediately by a rotund 20-something guy who asked if he could help me.  I asked him to tell me about the benefits of compression socks, and he scoffed in my face.  He asked what I was training for, and I said a marathon.  "Which marathon?" he asked skeptically.  When I replied that I was training for the New York marathon, he kind of laughed and asked if it was my first.  When I said yes, he chuckled again and asked how many miles I was running.  I told him that my longest run so far has been 15 miles, and that I am following the Hal Higdons Intermediate training plan.  He scratched his goatee and said that 15 was too far for this stage in the training.  He then launched into a lecture on how many 20-mile runs I should be doing and when, and that I need a water belt, and that I should start using GU gels and that I certainly DON'T need compression socks and it wasn't even worth telling me about them.  SO annoying!!!  I think Hal Higdons, who won 4 World Masters Championships, probably knows what he's talking about in his training schedules.  I just wanted to see some compression socks, not be patronized by someone who's probably never run a marathon before. 


2.  I recently read this article on the long-term damage caused by wearing high heels.  We've always known that heels aren't the best, but a recent study showed that wearing heels puts extra pressure on a woman's knee joints, increasing her risks for joint degeneration and osteo arthritis.  It's been shown that heels change a woman's posture, making her ankles tilt inward which destabilizes them. A different study found that regularly wearing heels could make women less efficient at more flat-shoed activities, such as running.  Yikes.  I love my Manolos, but I think I'm going to try to lay off them for awhile, at least until after the marathon.