Boston 2015 Race Recap

When people asked how Boston went my answer went something like this:

"It was so fun and it was the easiest marathon yet! I got done and wanted to keep running!" That basically sums up the experience without going into the details that I have below. 

Throwing out all race goals was the best thing I could have done, but looking back makes me a tiny bit bummed knowing that I was only 4 seconds off my PR with a 3:13:46. I trained all winter for 7:00 minute miles and I was hitting all of my workouts. I just happened to decide not to work going into this race so that I could fully enjoy it. I don't love marathons (just the training), so all I wanted to do was be in this one for the experience, a goal that was easily achieved. 

Anyway, here's how the WHOLE day went down! Get ready, because it's going to be long. 

Race Morning: 

I was super pumped all weekend. For the first time ever I didn't care about the weather forecast. Normally I am the biggest baby when it comes to weather and should have freaked at the thought of rain, headwinds, and 40-something temps. But I knew that Monday's weather would be way better than my winter training or the time I ran the Vermont City Marathon two years ago, and that it wouldn't come close to the freezing cold 10 miler I did at the start of March this year. 

Tom and I got up at 5:00 and I loved having him to get ready with. Normally it's only one of us racing (ok, usually me), so this was a new experience. I had my regular breakfast of toast and peanut butter and a cup of coffee and was ready in no time.

We ventured out of the hotel, me looking like a bum, but a warm one at that! After a quick uber ride we were at the bus loading zone, which was the most organized I've ever seen it. We checked in our bags and boarded the bus together. I was smarter this year and didn't drink any water on the bus ride knowing how bad I suffered in last year's ride.

Last photo before saying goodbye to my phone. 

Marathon Village: 

We were at Marathon Village on the earlier side since Tom was in the first wave. That meant that for the first time ever I was able to find a seat under the tent, a spot needed because it started raining as soon as we got there. We got warm coffee and tea, ate some bagel, Fig Newmans, and pretzels, and stayed warm and dry. Food rarely affects my stomach. What does affect me is being hungry. I had to make sure I was satisfied in the morning with easy foods that would keep me fueled. They did just the trick!

Tom's wave was called 40 minutes before mine. I was so excited for him and also bummed that I wasn't going to be able to cheer him on during the race. I wanted so badly to see him race.

It wasn't long before I had to go to the start myself. On the way I finished eating my Honey Stinger chews which I became addicted to before all of my tempo and strength workouts this spring. Go with what works, right?

The Start: 

Another first this year: Getting to the start with more than 2 minutes to spare. As I got to my corral Sweet Caroline started playing for the crowd. That song has sentimental meaning to me, being the song that my mom, my bro, and I always sang in the car growing up. I couldn't help but feel like my mom was with me at that moment cheering me on. I knew it was going to be a good race.

Another note: I left my Garmin in DC on purpose. I'm done with my Garmin being off and not getting exact mile splits. It was relieving to have my old watch with me, which would force me to take my own splits. 

Miles 1-4

7:47, 7:20, 7:17, 7:11

A two year old hamstring injury was starting to nag me in the two weeks leading up to the race. I think a massage triggered it. I only felt it for the first mile and never again. Perhaps it just needed to be warmed up or the slower paced miles cause it to be more aggravated.

The first mile was too slow for me and I knew it from the start. Last year's Boston time put me in corral 4 and I had trained much faster all spring. Instead of freaking out, I went with the slower pace and high-fived a ton of kids for the first few minutes. Why not, right?! 

While my 7:47 first mile was not the 7:15 that I had hoped for I knew that it only meant for a stronger finish. It was about time that I went out conservative at Boston!

The next few miles flew by. I was happy with the splits I was getting: they felt effortless.

Miles 5-8

7:25, 7:10, 7:17, 7:24

Somewhere at this point we heard Sweet Caroline play twice in two different spots. By the second time all of the spectators and runners began to sing along. That was pretty special and probably one of my favorite memories of the race. 

Maybe I was making it up, but there seemed to be fewer spectators than last year. I don't blame them one bit if it really was true. It was nasty out there. It rained on and off throughout the race. I didn't wear a hat, unsure of how the strong the headwind would be, so I got all of the water in my eyes. When the rain really came down there were times I had trouble seeing. Thankfully I was reminded of a particular run during one storm this winter where I had to stop every mile or so to get the ice off my eyelashes because my eyelids were becoming frozen shut. The rain was nothing compared to that cold and snow so I was on cloud 9. 

I chatted with an older man at one point, and by older I mean, I hope I can still run a little bit when I'm his age. He was awesome! He first wanted to know if I was warm because he still hadn't gotten rid of his sweatshirt. Then he was a hoot telling me that he only races summer races in shorts, no shirt, and that he had done a trail race in VT last year. This opened up opportunity to chat and run with a nearby "Oiselle" runner that may not actually be with the "flock" but had the name on her singlet. We stayed together or within site of each other for most of the race. I actually began to really like the people I was running with, getting inspired by how strong they all looked. 

Isn't it crazy 1) what thoughts you have in your head during a marathon and 2) how motivational little things can be in races? I always say this after coming back from race weekend: Being around runners is like being in Heaven. We get each other and we support each other, even when we don't mean to or plan to. 

Gosh - I just love this sport!

Miles 9-12

7:15, 7:24, 7:24, 7:15

When I got to mile 16 and suddenly realized that there were only 10 miles left - or less than 1 hour and 20 minutes, party poppers and fireworks began to go off in my head. I just knew I wasn't going to bonk. I hadn't felt that good in a race ever before. I didn't have to force myself to play mind tricks, they came naturally. I just didn't feel tired at any moment and tried to keep my splits somewhat even. 

Miles 13-16

7:23, 7:19, 7:26, 7:22

I decided to do what I had never done in a race before: use a port-a-potty. I had to go pee ever since the gun went off but held it. When I made the decision to go at mile 15 I was on the lookout for a bathroom for two miles. When I got to one, however, it was full. Dang! I wasn't going to wait, so I jumped back in the race.

Time cost in doing this: probably 5 seconds: there goes my PR that I didn't know I could get! In the words of Homer Simpson: "Do'H!"

The good news: I forgot I had to pee when the rain really started falling again in miles 18 and 19.

While it probably cost me my PR, it did give me a pretty cool opportunity to meet up with another runner who's blog I've been reading and Instagram I've been following for a few years.

At some point I was behind a man wearing a Saucony jacket. I had seen the female version of the jacket before on Michele's blog this winter. I began thinking about her at that moment and when the man moved out of my way for just a second I was able to get a view of the people in front of him. 

Do you know who was right in front of him?!

Michele! I wasn't believing my eyes and I sped up to her to see if I my eyes were playing tricks on me. When I heard someone in the crowd shout her name I made contact with her to give her a thumbs up, saying she looked great (cause she totally did!)

After a hill and a few turns she caught up to me again - she was good at running tangents.

I had followed her training all winter and knew that she was doing awesome! She said she wasn't looking at her watch, but she didn't need to. When you run with your heart you always have a good race. It turns out that she finished the day with a 6 minute PR!!

Miles 17-20

7:31, 7:33, 7:21, 7:34

These hills. Piece. Of. Cake. 

Every time I got to a hill I envisioned myself on Mass Ave down here in DC. I did all of my speed and tempo workouts on that street and if you haven't seen it, it has quite a few (potentially) killer hills. I designed my training with hills on purpose. I wanted to eat Boston's hills for lunch on Monday. 

Guys, it worked. By killing myself for months I breezed through the marathon's hills. They were easy! I felt like I had won the Golden Wonka Ticket every time I started running one of the hills. The training paid off. It was the best feeling ever.

Miles 21-25

7:50, 7:17, 7:28, 7:10, 7:23

Last year I gave Tom a 5 minute sch-peal about the Citgo sign and my dislike for it when it appears, knowing that I still have 1-2 miles to go before the finish. Last year I saw it and had no emotions which was progress. This year when it appeared I was on cloud nine. I couldn't believe that the race was coming to an end. I felt so good. There still hadn't been a moment when I was tired. If I thought that my legs were beginning to get tired I was instantly reminded that they were nothing like they felt on my 10 mile tempo during the 66 mile week I put in back in March. They were doing great. I was doing great. I wasn't even cold with all of the rain!

Miles 26 and 0.2
 7:13, 1:35

I like to dedicate miles throughout my race to particular people in my life. I don't think about it, they just come to me. On Monday I was having so much fun that no 'dedication miles' came until the last mile. At that moment I began to think about two of my student athletes in particular (L and S). That last mile was dedicated to those two girls, who inspire me beyond belief. Crazy - I know, but they have left an impression on me through their dedication to their school work and their athletics.  They are XC and distance runners that take any challenge they're given and go for it. Having run so many races, I was super happy to run that last mile in my head for them. 

When I turned that second to last quarter I started smiling. I always remember my first Boston, coming onto that corner thinking, "This. Is. Awe. Some!" I ran the rest of the race with a smile on my face. Hearing the crowd during that final stretch is always one of the best feelings.

Final: 3:13:46

Overall: 5490/26610

Gender: 604/12022

Division: 523/6011

Post-Race

I hadn't been cold at any point during the race but the second I stopped running my body began to shiver uncontrollably. I sped-walked out of the finish area. Yes. Sped-walked. I debated about running because my legs felt totally fine. In fact, immediately after crossing the finish line I crashed into a man who clearly had worked himself to the finish and was going too slow for me.

The photo doesn't capture the shivering going on

For a moment I had the crazy thought of "Oh! So this is why some people do ultra marathons? Maybe I should try an ultra if I can still walk fine after the last 26 miles."

The wind was pretty strong at the finishing area. I got my food, medal, and poncho as quick as I could and headed back to the bag drop off. Tom met me along the way and we taxied back to the hotel to shower. Our hotel, the Residence Inn at Seaport, was so accommodating, and let us shower in our room with a late checkout. I really don't know how I would have been able to warm up otherwise.

Tom's Race: 

Tom will probably tell you that I talked him into running this race after he declared he would only run one marathon. It may not be entirely true, as he had to sign himself up, but he did SO AWESOME for his second marathon ever.

He finished in 2:44 with an 8 minute PR on a much tougher course than his first race! He was also 467th out of 26,610 finishers.

Maybe some day he'll post his own marathon recap on here (*hinthintcoughcoughyesTomIknowyouarereadingthis*)

Other Thoughts and Notes

Friends!

We got to meet up with a few friends over the weekend and a few others that we did not see did reach out to tell us that they would be cheering for us along the course. To be honest, I feared that they would totally miss us and that it wouldn't have been worth it for them to be out there. 

That wasn't the case! I saw EVERY ONE of the people that told us they would be out there! Anna, Nate, Shelby, Will, Katie, Carrie, Glynna, Kelly, and Austin! They were awesome cheerers, made awesome signs (with wicked cool puns), and braved the cold and rain to come out to support us. That meant a lot in those moments.

The Nuun tent was also along one of the hills and were so energizing when I went by. I met the CEO this weekend at the meet-up event and I recognized him out there, cheering us on for that hill. I don't remember the hill at all, only the Nuun tent's enthusiasm. 

Favorite Signs:

"Your gym teacher would be proud!" Actually, my middle school gym teacher would be proud! She was a runner herself.

bottom: Taken from Katie's Instagram

"There is no Walken" with a photo of Christopher Walkens' head in the middle. 

College Kids: 

When you're in a bad mood they can either re-energize you or make you hate life knowing they're out there drinking beer and having a good time while you're suffering. This time I thought they were hilarious and loved going by them. They were SO LOUD and so into it, especially after Heartbreak. That energy gets you going for the finish!

Nutrition: 
I had a Honey Stinger gel at miles 6, 12, 18, and 22. I almost didn't take the last one. Once I was able to get my claw-hands to open each gel they went down SUPER easy. There was no after taste and I didn't scrape my mouth on the packaging like I always did with Gu. They are easily my favorite race gels and had zero effect on my stomach.

Now What? 
So Boston is over. Five months of serious training and plenty more days of pondering and planning. I love this city every year. No matter how the race turns out, the people are awesome.

The excitement is over but there are plenty of other goals to go after. Tom and I are in Vermont for our next race, each running a half of the Vermont City Marathon. Once I can start moving my legs quickly again (maybe today or tomorrow) I'll begin a reverse taper and jump into the tail end of the Hansons Half Marathon training plan for the next month. 

Boston 2014 Training: Week 7 Recap

This training cycle feels so different from the last two cycles, so much so, that I don't actually feel like I'm training for something.

I absolutely love summer running. Give me 90 degree running weather any day over 30 degree weather. I'm serious. Training in winter is absolute torture for me. I have only done 1 track workout, and haven't gotten in over 40 miles for a week yet.

The worst part about this training cycle is that my heart isn't in it. It hasn't been from the start. There are days when I just can't talk myself into getting out the door. Maybe I need a training buddy. When I lived in Vermont I almost always had a weekly run with a friend or two during the winter. I couldn't stay home. I had to go run. We had made plans and those plans got me out the door on Sunday mornings or cold nights. And  I always had fun on them. Running with a friend was the only way I seem to tolerate winter.

On Thursday of this week I had a bad run. Mentally, it was the worse since college. I kept thinking of Jerry's (from Ben and Jerry) quote, "If it's not fun, why do it?" I was not having fun. In fact, it felt as bad as the day I quit track my sophomore year. I vowed not to go out the door unless I knew there was a chance I would enjoy the run. It was in the 20's, the wind was blowing, and I hated every moment.

The next night I went out. And it was 10 degrees warmer. And I enjoyed it slightly more. And right now it is 56 degrees. Today was so much better than Thursday all around. I love running, but only when I want to do it.

Total Weekly Mileage: 38 miles

Monday: 40 minutes circuit videos and 1.2 mile run
The morning started off gorgeous (goodbye gloves and mittens) but it was drastically colder when I got home. I stayed inside and did two videos: a dance video for a cardio warm up and then a 30 minute circuit training video. After that, I made my wobbly body go for a brief run.

Tuesday: Day off. It was 17 degrees, not including the windchill. You know the drill.

Wednesday: Day off. Too busy at work and didn't get home until 7:30.

Thursday: 7 miles at 7:18 pace
Started out fine. Even raced with a guy who left at the same time as me (I lost him at some point), but when I got to the 3 mile mark my mind gave up. I was done with running.

Friday: 7 miles at 7:43 pace
Warmer weather (30's) made it bearable. Took it slower and it felt like torture. I know I need to run slower on easy days. But get this - I actually fell! I tripped over my own feet because I was too slow in the beginning. GAH! I got super excited at one point because I could actually smell MUD! I didn't realize that I actually haven't smelled anything on a run in months thanks to the coldness. Bring on spring and the blossoms!

Saturday: 8 miles at 7:33 pace
Sun! Warmth! A happier run this time.

Sunday: 14.3 miles at 8:12 pace
Ran the same route I tried out a couple weekends back and was constantly reminded of all of the past springs when I was training for track or for Boston. Snow was on the ground but it was warm enough (56) to go in a t-shirt. I enjoyed this run much more than Thursday's, especially when I got to pockets of warm air.

__________________

Some random thoughts from today's run:

• I discovered that I really don't like seeing runners with ipods. I don't know why it bothers me so much. Something about them being tangled in the wires and having to carry something around with them. You might be able to guess that I don't own a portable music-playing device. Running is about freedom for me. 
• People who have more spring in their step than movement forward make me tired to watch.
• I actually get a pain in my stomach when I see someone running to catch a city bus. I have to turn away when I know that they aren't going to get it. I hate to see the look of failure on their face, especially when they put in so much effort to run after it. 
• Every time I run by a squirrel I am afraid it is going to run in the road and get hit by a car - all because of me. Thankfully, it hasn't happened yet (*knockonwood*).
• Every day I count how many Punch Buggies I see while running. I got up to 4 today, which is pretty low considering I ran 14 miles. Normally I come back and try to punch Tom but he argues that he has to be with me at the time in order for them to count.

Boston 2014: Week 6 Training

When we moved to DC a year and a half ago everyone told me that the summers down here were going to be crazy hot. They also said that I would enjoy the winters a little more because they wouldn't be as cold. 

And I was silly enough to believe every bit of what they said. 

Last Monday it was a beautiful 54 degrees down here (awesome). The next day we got 4 inches of snow, two snow days (from school) in a row, and brutally cold temps in the teens and twenties for the rest of the week. Vermont winter weather found its way down here. 

Total Weekly Mileage: 38

Monday: 6.35 miles at 7:50 pace
We had a mini teaser of spring which made me excited to go on a run for once. I hit up a route I don't often run on and it was full of other runners enjoying the weather. It made me realize how I need to do a run down by the monuments or by Arlington Cemetery at some point. We've been here long enough and I still haven't done it!

Tuesday: 8 mile Tempo at 7:10 pace
I woke up early even though we had a snow day and got outside before the snow actually started falling. It was windy, but I knew that the run needed to be done. The run felt decent and running at this pace doesn't require as much effort as it used to.

I'm supposed to be following the Hanson plan which requires track work on Tuesdays, but I've only done it ONCE during the last 6 weeks. Track work is crucial, even for marathon training. This I do know. But it's the last thing I want to do on a windy, cold day. Therefore, I often tempo it up if I can't do a track workout, and try to throw in a few minutes of harder running here and there.

Wednesday: Off. Snow day!


Thursday: 6 miles at 7:44 pace
Today should have been a tempo day or at least a day filled with more miles. But it was 19 degrees with a windchill making it 5 degrees out. I got home while the sun was still up and didn't waste any time changing into my running clothes. Normally I stay inside when I see temperatures like that but apparently the inner Vermonter wanted a challenge and wanted to go outside. Runs like these make me think I'm really crazy.

But I discovered the secret to cold-winter running that I had neglected while I've been down here. Dress in layers. Many layers. I had two long sleeve shirts (with wicking fabric) and my two running jackets on. I had spandex on which were covered by another pair of running pants. Sub-20 degree temps are the only time I wear hats, and this time I added the hood of my jacket on top to keep out the wind.

I was toasty. I was comfortable. I didn't mind the cold at all. Dare I say that I had fun out there?! A British woman called me a "hard core runner" as we waited at an intersection. I just call myself crazy. I came home happy to have gotten the miles in, without having to go to the gym, and without complaining to myself like I normally do.

Friday: Off. 
A dinner party meant no time for running.
Dinner with awesome co-workers > winter running. By a long shot

Saturday: 8 miles at 7:40 pace
Another cold day (29 degrees). Nothing to report except that a weird leg pain that I've had for 3 weeks was bothering me before the run and didn't seem to get better with the run (like it usually does). My body feels out of whack, like I'm pinching a nerve or something. I've considered going to the docs, but I know that the first question would be, "have you iced?" I think living in my apartment is the equivalent of icing. I'm cold enough without needing an ice pack!

Sunday: 10 miles at 8:02 pace
Weekend running is so much more enjoyable because the sun is up. I also get to procrastinate all day before finally going outside. Felt comfortable on the run but had to keep reminding myself that Sundays are for slow running.

____________________

The goal for the coming week is to foam roll every day. Maybe that will help with the leg pain. 

The second goal is to do arm workouts on Monday and Wednesday.

Third goal: quit being a baby. Get out and run.  

Boston 2014: Week 5 Training

It seems like I'm starting to get in the groove of training. Only problem? Sickness! It's winter and I work in a school. While I haven't gotten a full-on cold *knockonwood* I was fighting off getting one the whole week. Headaches, sniffles, all that jazz. Running probably helped keep it away but it also made me tired. Fortunately, by Sunday I was feeling back to normal and ready for the long run. 

Total Weekly Miles: 38

Monday: 6 miles at 7:34 pace
I finally was excited to get out running today because it was 57 degrees! Hello shorts and a speedy night run!

Tuesday: Off. 
I didn't feel like running. Sometimes you have days where you know it isn't going to work and today was one of them.

Wednesday: 7.5 miles at 7:40 pace
Went out thinking I was going to be running a tempo run, but my body refused to cooperate. This was when I realized I was fighting off the cold. I had a headache all day and the first two miles were torture. But I talked myself out of turning back when I started thinking of all of the bloggers I follow. Thinking of all of their accomplishments over the years inspired me to keep running. There have been too many times where I've felt like crap on a run only to turn it completely around a few miles later. And that's exactly what happened.

At miles 4 things were going great and I had forgotten about the first two miles. But I started to have to go pee and to go pee badly! This run, which was supposed to be a tempo run, morphed itself into a mental training run - which is probably just as important as a tempo run. After all, it is your brain that will give up before your body does! Fortunately, I made it home in one piece but opted not to do the additional 1/2 mile that would have brought the daily total to 8.

Thursday: 6 miles at 7:02 pace
Right before I left for this run I noticed a dollar bill peeking out from under my orthotic in my shoe. I took out the orthotic to find 3 more dollars! I had forgotten that I had put them in there the night before NYC and they've gone on every run with me since! (I usually pack a few dollars when I run a marathon just in case something prevents me from finishing).

Once again, I tried to do a tempo run on this night. If I'm lucky I can do tempo runs up and down my streeet and barely hit any red lights. My speed will be at the perfect pace that will allow me to run through every intersection. This was not the case today. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I hit a red-light at every or every-other light.

The purpose of a tempo is to run at that pace for a sustained amount of time. Since that wasn't going to be possible, I changed my workout to an interval workout, running at 400m pace between each stop light. I had two miles of warm up pace before I started the workout, and finished without a cool down (yeah - not the best choice). I was super pleased because I made it back into my apartment with one minute to spare before the start of a webinar that I had to be on!

Friday: Off. 
My body was done after the workweek. Even though I changed into my running clothes when I got home, I could not force myself to get out of the door.

The solution? We went to a UVM alumni gathering and then hit up DC Pho in Chinatown for some amazingness. They have my favorite Pho of DC and it was the perfect dinner to combat the cold.

Saturday: 6 miles for Meg at 7:23 pace
Today's word is wind. Wind that blows so hard that it takes away your breath. Wind that blows against you for the first 3 miles of your run. Wind that then blows with you for the last 3, making you run a negative split. Wind that only comes in winter and brings coldness down from the north. Wind that makes you want to get the run over as quick as possible so you can go back inside and warm up.

Yet while there was wind, I didn't complain. I ran the miles for Meg and her family and thought of them throughout my run. It is always unfortunate to hear of a life being taken so soon, and even worse when it is due to drunk driving.

Sunday: 12 miles at 8:11 pace
I had a super sunny start to this run which was a relief compared to Saturday's windy run. I explored a new area of town to change up the scenery which eventually led to one of my regular running routes. It was so nice to escape cars and traffic for a while and only be with runners and bikers. This ended up being the longest long run since NYC and my body was happy the whole time.

_______________________

I am cautiously optimistic that I have still retained some of my fitness from the fall and am not feeling horrible lately on my runs. While last week was a positive week compared to the one before, I'm still not near my ideal weekly mileage goal. Looking ahead at the weather forecasts for this week only makes me sad: snow and 20 degree temperatures. It might be time for me to suck it up and go to a gym for the week to make sure my butt keeps running!

Boston 2014: Week 4 Training

Two words: Polar Vortex. 

That darn thing kept me inside for half of week 4. And if you're doing your math correctly, week four actually ended on January 12th. I'm a little behind with the updates.

Week 4 Total Weekly Mileage: 23

Total Circuit Workouts: 2

Monday: Circuit Workout

The wind was a-blowing and Dani was a whining. Instead of suffering outside I stayed inside and hit up youtube for a circuit workout. I am picky about circuit workouts and often can't find one I like. However, this was a good one: I didn't get bored and I definitely got in a workout.

Tuesday: off. Hello Arctic cold!

Wednesday: Circuit Workout
It was still too cold for me and so youtube came to the rescue once again. Lesson learned: even if you want to be quiet for your downstairs neighbor, please don't do this workout without shoes. My left leg was in intense pain that night and my calves hurt until Saturday. The good news is that I definitely got my two strength workouts in for the week!

Thursday: 6.5 miles at 7:44 pace
The run started great until mile 3.5, which was when I started to go up a monstrous hill. My calves were incredibly tight and the tightness was so deep that stretching didn't improve them at all during the run. I cut the run a little short.

Friday: Off
By now I'm embarrassed and disappointed to write how many days off there were this week. Let's move on to some running...

Saturday: 8 miles at 7:44 pace
It was drizzling outside but fortunately warm enough to take out shorts and to be without a jacket. I loved being out in daylight! These types of runs make me optimistic for future runs.

Sunday: 8 miles at 7:47 pace
Totally did not check the wind speed before I left and was under-dressed, causing me to be cold the entire time. Perhaps suffering through these runs will make me mentally stronger?

__________

At the end of week 4 I was feeling bummed. Too many days off and still a lack of motivation. Boston is too far away so I need to look into some races between now and then to focus on and train for. 

Boston 2014: Week 3 Training

I didn't get in all of my miles for the week. Nor did I get in a tempo run. I also slacked on the speed workout. Right now I'm missing something big from my training: Motivation.

I know it will return. It happens every year.

Once I get outside I am fine. I enjoy the runs and I want to work and see results. But I am having a hard time getting myself out the door. I have always hated winter running and realize that maybe winter really is the time to just let myself hibernate. It's too bad Boston has to be in April. I enjoy summer marathon training much more.

Total Weekly Miles: 36 

Monday: 6 miles at 7:37 pace
Tom and I hit up the gym for the last time because it was just too cold (for me) out there in Vermont to go running.  

Tuesday: Off - drove back to DC

Wednesday: 7 mile speed workout 
Ran 2.5 miles for both warm up and cool down. It was a colder day for DC and the wind was blowing. After travelling for the whole day on Tuesday, I was not in the mood to do a speed workout. The plan called for eight 600s with a 400m jog recovery.

What I actually ran was only four 600s before I called it quits: Splits: 2:14, 2:16, 2:17, 2:22

Thursday: 6.5 miles at 7:33 pace
Scheduled tempo day but since I did "speed" on Wednesday I went for a regular run. It was snowing when I left and I can't tell you how many snowflakes I inhaled on the run or how many times I had to wipe my nose. While it was somewhat of a pain to be out there in the snow, it was also somewhat comforting to look up and see it all falling. I felt like a 6 year old again, amazed by what was coming down from the sky.

Friday: unplanned rest day
Not only was it in the teens with a windchill making it feel much colder, I had a SNOW day because of it and didn't have to go to school! Some people out there have way more will power and will go out for a run in that coldness/ice (like Tom!) but I don't.

Saturday: 6 miles at 7:25 pace
Went for an afternoon run before the sun went down.

Ice Skating for an hour: I hadn't been ice skating since high school but Tom and I headed to Georgetown's rink with some friends. If I was forced to start my life over again I would so go into speed skating instead of running! My legs quickly remembered how to skate and I had a blast! (In reality - speed skating would be the worst idea for me because I am not at all a sprinter)

Sunday: 10 miles at 8:00 pace
My motivation was enough to get me out there on this damp and dreary day. I made the mistake of eating lunch right before I left and suffered with that for the first half. I spent the second half trying to keep my wrists warm - my gloves became wet due to the damp air and I began to get a chill in the 36 degree weather.

_____________

My training times were decent this week. Being outside helps to improve my speed as I tend to go slower on a treadmill. 

Goals for the week:

Now that the holidays are over I am going to have to force myself to focus on the healthy eating again. I have been consuming way too many treats and not enough veggies and fruit. My body is feeling it. My circulatory system is feeling it. 

I also need to up my water intake which I find hard to do in the winter time. I'm trying to have more tea in the morning and lemon water at night. I also need to make a goal to consume a whole water bottle during the afternoon at work so that I'm well hydrated before my run. 

Finally, I need to get back into the strength training. Need. Must. Will. Have to. 

I always plan on doing it around mile 3 into my run each day, but somehow "forget" to do it when I get home. 

Maybe my goal should be to just get back my motivation: motivation to run, to eat well, to do the work that I need to do to run the times that I want to. 

So that shall be it. My goal for the week:

Motivation. 

Boston 2014 Training: Weeks 1 and 2

I planned to write more on my trip to Vermont, but once we got there I decided to cut down on internet and computer use for a few days. I'm actually in my third week of training for Boston right now, and so far it has been filled with a lot of snow and cold weather.

Week 1 Total Miles: 11 (for the half week of training)

The Hanson Marathon plan officially started on a Thursday and I should have run an additional 14 miles onto this week. However, our drive up to Vermont took all day Saturday and then it was impossible to get outside (safely) for a run that Sunday due to the ice storm.

Thursday 12/19: 6 mile tempo at 7:04 pace
Day one of training called for an easy 6 miles, but I had a strong suspicion that I would not be able to run my speed workouts while in VT. My easy run became a tempo run. I felt great loved the t-shirt and shorts running weather.

Friday 12/20: 4.8 miles at 7:42 pace
Tom and I ran after work, just before we started packing for VT. We thought it would be fun to head to the Zoo to catch Zoo Lights.

Saturday: Off - Drive to VT
Sunday: Off - Ice Storm

Week 2 Total Miles: 32

This was a more consistent week of training. It was also the first time that we had to purchase a gym membership since high school! We even went back to our high school gym, Excel, to get in our workouts. While I absolutely hate treadmill running, it was the only way to get the running in. I would have either 1)been a baby and found every excuse why not to run in the cold or 2)gone running and fell 6,579 times, possibly seriously hurting myself.

To my surprise, running on that darn treadmill became easier throughout the week. The key: Episodes of House Hunters on HGTV!

I once heard that it's better to do treadmill workouts on a slight grade, rather than a grade of 0. Most of my runs were at 0.5 or at 1. I didn't bother doing a hill workout on it, nor a speed workout, as the treadmill was enough of a mental workout itself!

Monday: 6 miles at 7:39 pace
Tuesday: 6 miles at 8:01 pace (The treadmill wasn't that bad on day 2)
Wednesday: Day off - Christmas and a scheduled day off according to the plan.
Thursday: 6 miles at 7:56 pace
Friday: 6 miles at 7:56 pace
Saturday: Day off. We celebrated Christmas with Tom's whole family!
Sunday: 8 miles at 8:33 pace. The gym was closed so we headed out to the slushy/icy streets for our longer run.

Christmas Afternoon 

As I write this, week 3 is coming to a close. While I have not been running as much as I was by this point during the summer, I believe that is OK. I have a small base and seem to be shape somewhat from the fall. I also have another 15 weeks ahead me for training, which is still a significant amount of time. Heck - most other running plans are just getting started!

NYCM Training: What worked

I started to write this post (back in November) with an orange cat on my lap and could hear rain falling outside. It was dark, cold, and wet. Exactly the conditions that I did not want to be running in. And guess what? I didn't run. I sat in my house.

That's how the last month and a half has been. I go when I want to. Because I can.

I love being in a recovery period. There's no one or no plan to make me get out there and run. Do I feel bad? Of course. But I'm enjoying this time of relaxation before I start training for Boston.

Which begins this Thursday.

Oy!

The last few weeks have given me an opportunity to reflect on the training for NYC. Below are my thoughts for what worked during those five months to help me prep for the 26 miles.

Hills
I run hills every day. If I go in one direction I could run up a hill for 2.5 miles. If I run on another route I end up running up quite possibly one of the steepest hills in DC at the end of my run. If I combine both of these routes and a third route, I end up running 16 miles with 7 gigantic hills.

Hills and I have become friends over the last year without me realizing it. Therefore, when I got to NYC and didn't have any of the normal DC hills, my mind actually considered the course flat. 

Yes hill suck. No one in their right mind wants to run them. But if you do them every day then you will get used to them. Your body - calves, glutes, quads and hammys - will get used to them. You'll actually start to enjoy conquering them and seeing how fast you can get up them. When they pop up in the middle of your 1 mile interval you don't sweat it any more.

Because you know that they only make you stronger. 

Strength Conditioning
This spring my chiro/pt informed me that my glute muscles were weak, making my knees give-way when I landed. I was determined to fix that. I incorporated more lunges, squats, and exercises that he gave me to strengthen the muscles. I also incorporated more arm and back workouts.

I began to notice my form improve (and I had the worst form). I began to run a little straighter. I began to bend my legs more and use more power. My landings became better. I began to run faster.

The weirdest thing happened in September when I was on a tempo run and I could feel my obliques and back muscles work with my strides. As I powered up the hill they were actually contracting to help me up it. This, I was not expecting!!

There is a reason why we had to do strength training in college. It wasn't until this year that I actually felt the benefits. A strong runner will make for a fast runner. Therefore, strength training is here to stay.... at least while I'm training for an actual race.

Pep Talks
I got really good at tricking my brain into believing that pain means that I can only go faster and that hills are things to be eaten for breakfast.

Because I told myself this over and over and over and over.

Every time I came to a hill I became the coach that I am for my students. I tried my hardest to push away that voice that would want me to stop, and to listen to that coach voice that says "Short strides! On your toes! Crest over the top! You EAT HILLS FOR BREAKFAST!"

When races became painful this summer I told myself to pick up my knees and to run faster. No matter what happened, I did not want that negative voice inside my head to take over that run or to ruin my success.

Running is mental. A marathon is the biggest mental challenge that most runners will face. It is crucial to train not only your muscles, but to train your brain in order to finish strong in that race.

Races
I hadn't run a lot of short races since college but I filled up my spring and summer with races. I did not realize just how valuable they would become in my training and in the marathon.

Each time I ran a race I was able to see the growth and progress from my training. My first 5K was painful. A few weeks later I ran pain-free in a 10k but didn't give it my all. Then a month later I hit up a half marathon and got a PR. All of these combined were crucial in the last 10 miles of my marathon. I replayed each race as I got to that equivalent remaining distance of the NYC course.

They also helped to prep for the race day experience and to calm nerves. If you haven't race in a year it might become overwhelming to remember all that you need to pack and what routine works best for you. By November, I had solidified my routine.

Good Food Choices
This summer I experimented a little more with the type of foods I put into my body. I found out that milk and dairy do not sit well with me and they were causing awful cramps every time I ran or raced. I also found out what it was like to train on a cleaner, plant based diet. As much as I don't want to be the non-runner's idea of a "stereotypical" runner, I now understand why non-runners think we eat fruits and veggies. Because they actually help your body recover quicker and give you more energy. In July and August I was able to do a speed workout in the morning, recover with a fruit and protein packed smoothie after the run, have a good lunch, and then get out there in the afternoon to run with the XC team. I felt remarkably refreshed, as if I hadn't run my workout that morning.

Plants work people. Eat them!

I still have to remind myself of that every day .....

_____________________

After a month and a half off from training, I'll have to incorporate these things back into my life. I've definitely slacked on the running and strength training (I firmly believe that your mind and body need a break from these things one in a while). My diet has also been bombarded with sugar in the last month because of the holidays and my lack of will power. 

This Thursday marks day one of the 18 week training cycle. It also marks the day when I have to start considering how I treat my body. Marathon training isn't always about the running. It's about how you prep for the race in your down time: making sure you're rested and that you're properly fueled. 

The beauty about a training cycle is that you're constantly learning about yourself in the process. While it's hard work, I look forward to learning something new this training cycle :)

New York City Marathon Recap

*This post was somehow deleted from my blog. It has been updated and I apologize if you receive a repeat of this in your inbox/feed*

This post is long overdue. Long. I apologize. When work gets busy the blog has to take a vacation for a while.

It's also been difficult to sum up a race that I thought about, stressed about, and trained a year and a half for. So here it goes. My long morning in one long post.

Marathon Morning

Tom and I chose to spend the evening at the Double Tree near the Staten Island Ferry in Manhatten. That meant that we were only a 3 minute walk to the ferry, saving a lot of time and allowing me to sleep in. I woke up at 5:00 am, showered, and had a normal breakfast of toast and peanut butter before we were on our way (with a coffee in hand).

I got to the ferry just in time to board the 6:00 boat. While on it I began drinking my water bottle of Nuun. It was dark when we got on the ferry and my inside seat had limited views (not the sunrise views of the Statue of Liberty that I had imagined). I did catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty but spent the rest of the time people watching. It amazed me to see how international this marathon was. There were tons of languages being spoken and the experience reminded me of my marathon in Rome. 

Marathon Village
We were ushered onto buses after docking on Staten Island. When we arrived at Marathon Village we were greeted by hundreds of cops who were there to inspect our bags. The security check was quick to go through and I had very little. I had decided not to check a bag so all I had was extra clothes, water, and fuel (food and Gu).

Lessons learned while waiting to start:

1. If I do NYC again I don't need to bring a hat. Dunkin Donuts took care of hats. 
2. Don't spend 20 minutes looking for a bagel in the financial district of NYC the night before the marathon. Those were provided to us for free in the village. As well as the free coffee and tea.
3. The foil "capes" from previous marathons are incredibly valuable in staying warm. It was the first time I brought one with me to the start and I was thankful to not have the 40-something degree wind blowing on me. 
4. Use the porta potties in the corrals. There really aren't any more near the official start. I had no clue and realized this at the last moment. Because of this, I lost my spot with the 3:15 race pacer and had to start 150 meters back. I spent the first part of the race passing folks, but tried to justify it by telling myself that it's better to start slower than to go out too fast. Starting further back meant I had to start slower. 
5. It's fun to get to know people. I chatted with a resident who had worked 100+ hours that week and had no time to train. I am sure that the time spent on her feet was probably enough. Then I met a PE teacher from NYC that had run almost all of the NYC marathons since 2000ish. He was excited that I was running my first NYCM. Everyone that had run the race before was excited for us folk that had never run it. Everybody said we were going to love it. 

The Race 

As soon as the gun went off New York New York, by Frank Sinatra, began to be sung by the band at the start. The song remained in my head for the following 1.5 miles as we made our way across the bridge. I was thankful that it was no longer Miley Cyrus who had been stuck in my head the few days leading up to the race.

The Verrazano bridge experience was unique with the police chopper flying next to us and the military ship below us. There's nothing like running a marathon in the 21st Century!

By the time I was half way across the bridge I began to get a cramp in my stomach. Oh. Great. Just what I need. I felt off from the start - like I mentally wasn't in the race. I kept pushing into the cramp with my hand and tried to relax my muscles, but it was still there when I got off the bridge. At this point I started to think about one of my XC girls and how she was often plagued by cramps but she always kept going. I swear - thinking of that girl got me through that mile. I grabbed water at the second water station which seemed to relieve the cramp. Thankfully, it never did come back in the race.

Looking back, I think the Nuun played a role in that lovely experience since it was the first time I ever drank any before a race.

Miles 1-3 (According to the Garmin)

7:45, 6:53 (WHAT?!), 7:20

Cruising

Around Mile 3 I caught up to the 3:15 pace group. Then I went in front of them. My goal was 3:10. I knew I needed to pull ahead. The only problem was that I had never looked up what splits I needed for a 3:10. I might have done that on purpose. I didn't want to think about time the whole morning. Instead, I wanted to focus on effort.

At mile 3.5 the green wave joined our wave and I spotted another 3:15 pace group in front of me. Aw Dang! So my task became to pass that group to really make sure I was going to get sub 3:15. I knew that I had a least a minute on them due to my bad starting position, but needed to solidify my time.

I caught them by mile 5. What I did not know is that the people tracking me from home were starting to see consistent 7:24ish miles from me. I was unaware because my watch was telling me a different story. It also beeped before I got to the mile markers so I knew that my watch was going to be slightly unreliable.

Sadly, because it been 3 weeks, I don't remember much about this section of the race. But I do know that I passed an awesome band playing Lit's "My own worst enemy" and rocked out to it. So did all of the other 20/30 something year-olds around me.

Miles 4-7

7:13, 714, 7:13, 7:22

Support

I started to look for a few friends we had met up with NYC starting around mile 8. I honestly doubted that I would see them. There were too many spectators and I didn't want to look at every single one. Then, around 64 minutes into the race I heard my name being shouted. Adam, my old friend from high school was there! Even though I don't like being cheered for in a short race, seeing someone I know while I'm on that 26 mile journey always wakes me up and rejuvenates me for a few miles.

Avery's view of the race

My other friends, Avery and Chris, spotted me at mile 12 but sadly I didn't see them :(

Miles 8-12

7:23, 7:19, 7:14, 7:30, 7:16

Tom spotted me half-way through. I was totally unaware.

Let's Start Racing

As we made our way through the halfway point that darn 3:15 group caught up to me. I pulled ahead after a water station and thought I was good.

And then the Queensboro bridge happened.

I actually felt good on here, but I had been warned by the PE teacher: you tend to fall asleep on this bridge. All you see are feet and concrete. There are no spectators. Just water below you. I didn't feel like I slowed a lot, but I did slow enough for the pace group to catch up and stay right behind me.

As we neared the end of the bridge I began to hear some faint cheering. We began to slope down and see an end. And that's when the pacer shouted, "Get ready folks! Things are about to get exciting!"

That was enough to spark a fire in me. I seemed to wake out of the slight-slumber that I had been running in and I caught on to the excitement of the race. We turned the corner and entered the street full of people. The pacer, knowing his job, got the crowd riled up, and the cheering got louder.

I had 10 miles ahead of me. The hardest 10 miles ahead of the marathon. I could have freaked like I did in my first marathon. But at that moment, I relied on my spring and summer racing. Because I had run a 10 mile race in April, I forced myself to believe that I was running that race again. It helped my brain cope with a little over 70 minutes more of running. I put my mind on this new race, rather than dreading the pain that could come, but necessarily wouldn't come if I could race smart. After all, a marathon is unpredictable. Run it smart and you run without pain. Make silly mistakes and it could be the longest 10 miles of your life.

Through all of this my splits kept staying consistent. Sometimes I had no idea what my splits were. The cheering was so loud that I did not always hear the beeping of my Garmin. The important part was that I was not mentally ready to race.

Miles 13-17

7:21, 7:27, 7:48 (I fell asleep on the bridge), 7:40, 7:20 

At mile 20 I took my fourth and last Gu. I also tricked myself again. I didn't have 6 miles left. I was running a 10k. A 10K! I loved my 10k this summer. This should be easy.

Miles 18-20

7:02, 7:23, 7:26

By mile 21 I started to get worried. Last year my calves cramped by mile 24. Would they do the same? I used the same training program but had lower mileage weeks. Would that week off in October affect me? At this point, it wasn't.

Mile 22 - right before I heard Tom cheering

At mile 22 I FINALLY spotted Tom! He had seen me a few times but this was the first time he was in a small enough crowd for me to hear him.

Miles 21-22

7:17, 7:15

Just a 5k
I started to feel relieved at mile 23. Three "short" miles. We started to enter Central Park where there was a totally different feel to the race. I was focused but my body was getting tired. My only goal was to get to that finish line. The course starting winding, elevating, and dipping. The trees lined us on each side and even though the time seemed to slow down and the miles seemed to get long, I felt like I was flying through Central Park.

Then the weirdest thing happened. A female shouted "GO DANI!!!" Instinct told me to turn and wave. And when I did, I had no clue who I was waving and smiling at for a few seconds. Then I realized - it was Laura from Catching my Breath!! So crazy! And so cool! She rejuvenated me for that last mile. The longest one on the course.

Laura's view of the race! An awesome cheerer, photographer, and runner all at once!

That last mile was a killer. The finish line wouldn't end. At one point I was convinced that I was looking at the finish, but I was actually seeing the 26 mile marker. I spotted Tom once more and was surprised to see how quickly he had made it to the park. I swear - he has some superpower that allows him to teleport. Or maybe he has Floo Powder.

This is my "OMG! How is this race still going on?!" Face

Spotted Tom right before the final stretch.

The last 0.2 miles took the longest of the whole race. The signs counting down every 100 meters only reminded me of how much I had to go. I had to force myself to pretend that I wasn't in the race but was doing the last 400 repeat from my summer track workouts. 300 is easy. 200 is even easier. 100 meters is just a sprint.

Miles 23-26

7:19, 7:26, 7:05, 7:02

3:04 for the last 0.42 miles of the race. 
Sadly, my Garmin thought I ran a 26.42 mile race at 7:19 pace.

Finish time: 3:13:42

Actual average pace (according to NYCM timing): 7:24

The Finish Area

ING and the volunteers were awesome. The finish line areas was a breeze. We were immediately handed heavy duty plastic bags full of food. I can't tell you how thankful I was for plastic bags (unlike paper bags that rip) and not having to pick up my own food. 

I choose the no-baggage check option and was sent on my way to claim my poncho. The walk to the poncho was never ending. By the time I was half way though I found myself doing high knees because that hurt way less than walking. Anyone around me probably thought I was crazy.

When I finally did get my poncho I had to walk 6,073 more miles to get to the family meeting area. Ok - exaggeration, but it was unnecessarily long. They reversed the alphabet so I had to walk the entire way to get to C.

I didn't feel as tired as I looked

The poncho was worth it and was warm. Yes, we looked ridiculous. Some Internet journalist later mentioned that it looked like a cult was taking over NYC. 

Indeed, we did.

Overall thoughts

• Fun race. I seriously did not think it would be as good as people said it would be, but it was.
• I never bonked. Two marathons in two years following the Hanson plan and I am even more of a believer in it. I was tired at the finish, but ran my fastest miles at the end.
• Hills. Run them in your training and you'll be fine. There was only one time out there that I thought to myself, "This is slightly challenging", but never actually felt bad going up any hills or bridges. Even at the finish I was still an oblivious runner and did not realize that the course was hard. Come run my training routes and you'll find a hard course. 
• Wearing a singlet and arm sleeves in the 40-something degree weather was perfect. I was protected from the wind and only got hot once in the beginning.
• Four Gus in a marathon were perfect. So was the switching on and off of water and Gatorade at the water stations.
• It is frustrating to have a pace group right behind me. I can't tell you how many miles I battled it out with them. They'd catch up and I'd pull ahead. At times the race got very physical. One man pushed me at a water station (I was totally fine - he actually pushed me forward to get me moving) and there was a ton of congestion with all of the runners trying to get their 3:15 goal. But that is expected when 50,000+ runners are in one race. 
• The walk from the finish area was way too long and Tom had a hard time getting to me at the family meeting area. I waited a good 20 minutes for him to get from the 26 mile marker to me because he had to go around blocks, buildings, and closed roads before reaching security. 
• I would highly recommend this race to any runner looking for a fall marathon. It's definitely a race to put on the bucket list!

I warned you it was long, didn't I?