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? 

NYCM 2013 - Quick Update

Hi All!

I had a great time yesterday running NYC and today suffered with an extremely foggy brain in the AM and very sore legs during the afternoon. 

A full recap will come later. The quick stats are below:

Official Time: 3:13:42 - A new PR!

140th Female

42nd in Age Group

1859th overall

We had a GREAT weekend and got to meet up with old friends! It's really too bad it only lasted three days :(

A BIG thanks goes to my personal photographer and biggest cheerleader - Tom. He put up with my five months of training and ran/biked/taxi-ed throughout the city to cheer me on yesterday. 

NYCM 2013: Week 17 Training

I had a dream last night that I was running the last mile of a half marathon and was stopped. I could barely make my legs move. I was on target to run a 1:19 and I was trying my hardest to get my legs to step forward.

It's a sign that one of two things may happen next week:

1. I'll hit the wall big time
2. I'll get a PR  (I would prefer this one)

Total weekly mileage: 46 miles

Monday: 7 miles at 7:37 pace
The two week "taper" began on this day. The Hanson's method doesn't call for as big of a taper as other training plans do, so this run felt like a typical Monday run for me. The only difference is that the cooler weather arrived in DC.

Strength Tuesday: 8 miles at 7:11 pace
This was supposed to be a 6 x 1 mile workout but I was not in the mood for speed, nor did I have the time. I turned it into a tempo run because I also did not think I would be able to get a tempo run in on Thursday.

Wednesday: Day off - Half mile of running at our cross country meet 

Thursday: 8 miles at 7:24 pace
I did a mini tempo after all, going only about 6 miles. I didn't get out until it was pretty dark so I had to bust out the gloves AND the reflective gear. I always dread this day of the year because I know that a few cold, dark months of running lie ahead :(

Friday: 7 miles at 7:40 pace
This taper is working wonders. This was the first Friday in weeks that I had energy to run and was not struggling to keep my eyes open. It was also the first time all week that I was able to run with some sunlight.

Saturday: 8 miles at 8:01 pace
Somehow Tom ended up running with me for 85% of this run. Normally we don't run together, especially since he's been training for Philly on his own and is a much faster runner than me. However it was nice to have the company. We even stopped at a mill along the creek and watched them grind grains into flour using the water. We also saw tons of dogs dressed in human clothes including onesies and overalls. You never know what adventure a run might take you on!

Sunday: 8 miles at 8:17 pace

It was chilly this morning and the roads were pretty empty. Many people were down at the Marine Corps Marathon and a few roads were blocked off to cars. I took it super slow, knowing that what I do now doesn't benefit me for next Sunday. I have to stay low key and healthy to make sure I arrive ready for race day.

_____________________

This is the last week of training and I have decided that I won't follow the Hansons plan 100%. Last year I went for a run on the morning of the would-be NYC marathon and my legs were super tired and toast. There was no way they would have been able to run the actual marathon if it had gone on as planned. My legs are already doing better this year. I will do some easy runs this week, but haven't quite decided which days I'll take off and how many miles I'll do each day. 

___________________

This week is also the last week of the cross country season. Their Championship is on Saturday. While I look forward to a few extra hours to my day, there is going to be a huge chunk of awesomeness that will be missing. I look forward to practice every day and those kids bring some great laughs and motivation into my life. 

___________________

After the last 17 weeks of training I have come to accept that my hamstring injury from last year is most likely going to be a lifelong issue. I don't talk about it anymore on here or on daily mile, but I have pain while running on almost a daily basis. It's not a lot, but it always reminds me that it's there. I foam roll and some days its better than others. Maybe someday, when I eventually have a kid and have to take weeks/months off of running, the muscle will finally have a chance to heal. 

Because of this, the one thing I'll be sure to pack on Friday (besides my running shoes) will be my foam roller. I've come to rely on that baby far too long. Other than that, I don't even want to think about packing or what I'll race in......

NYCM 2013: Week 16 Training Recap

After the last two weeks I only have two words: I'm tired.

Total weekly mileage: 52 miles

Monday: 4 miles at 8:02 pace. Arm workout.
Thanks to the holiday I was able to sleep in and run in the morning. The sun made its first appearance in days which meant that I could bust out my new Sauconys and not worry about mud.

Strength Tuesday: 8 miles at 7:23 pace
0.5 Mile warm up, then 2 x 3 mile repeats at race pace with 1 mile recovery in between, followed by a 0.5 mile cool down. I felt good on this run. Not as great as my last strength workout from last month, but I was happy to be getting in some speed. Many of my runs have been in the dark so it's hard to watch my footing and to still run fast. I also tend to slow up near intersections to make sure all cars can see me so I don't get hit. The 3 mile intervals were definitely speedy, and I ran about 8:00 pace for the recovery.

Wednesday: Day off 

Thursday XC run: 1.7 miles at 7:32 pace 
Ran a few hills to push some of our fastest girls.

Tempo Thursday: 10 miles at 7:36 pace
I was too ambitious in the beginning of the run, especially after a day of teaching and coaching. The first three miles were at 7:00 but I drifted off after. By mile 6 my legs felt like they had run two 5ks. I was tired and my legs were becoming sore. It was also dark and I wanted dinner and to be in bed. But I kept pushing, and thinking about my XC kids. They push themselves each day in practice, even if they don't want to (that's why they have coaches!) so I had to muster up the energy and do as the kids. It was a warm, 70 degree night with a full moon, and I was very thankful to be running in such splendid weather.

Friday: 6.7 miles at 8:13
I woke up more tired than when I went to bed. My body is not recovering the same way it did this summer (thank you school) and I needed more sleep. I ran after school and took it very slow.

Saturday: XC Practice: 5.8 miles at 8:05 pace
We ran to a nearby park and then I did a tempo with a few of the girls. I had visions of practices from college, where I was tailing the girls in front of me, struggling to hold their pace. That's how I felt today. My legs were still recovering from Thursday.

Second run: 4 miles at 8:04 pace
I ran when I got home to get my daily mileage up to 10 miles. My legs started to feel better on the second half of my run, but perhaps that was because I was going down hill for a good portion of it.

Sunday: 10 miles at 8:08 pace

The leaves are finally changing colors down here so I headed toward trails rather than one of my regular street-filled routes. The start was chilly but ended up being perfect. 

Around mile 7 a man turned around 50 feet in front of me. When I caught up to him he wouldn't let me pass. I was not in the mood to race anyone, but I was also not in the mood to "pretend" to stop and let him go, because I knew that I'd just catch up to him again. He stayed with me for almost a mile. I kept my pace and he would slow down. I'd pass him at my same pace and he'd sprint forward, then slow down, and then I'd catch him. It was a horrible, horrible cycle for 7 minutes. At one point he literally tried to run me off the path but he then decided to stop running. Seriously dude, you look stupid trying to be macho. Advice for any men out there - just let a woman pass you. We won't judge. We'll only judge if you act dumb out there and then we take you. Run your own run. Please. And let me run mine.

______________________

Only two weeks separate me and the NYC Marathon. My first goal these next two weeks are to absolutely get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Confidence level? A 7 out of 10. It has to be done and I have to force myself to follow through on this. I think I'll have to set an alarm for 9 pm. When the alarm goes off I'll just have to stop what I'm doing and go to bed.  

My second goal is to stop eating the crap I'm eating. When our bodies are put through stress (thank you training and teaching) we crave sugary foods. If we cave and eat those sugary foods then we put our body through more stress. This might cause us to sleep poorly, wake up tired, then crave caffeine and sugary foods. It becomes an endless cycle that is hard to break. I've been giving into those cravings too much over the last month and need to stop. I felt ten times better on my runs earlier this school year because I was still eating as healthy as during the summer. I want to, no, NEED to feel that good for NYC. 

NYCM 2013 Training: Weeks 14 and 15 Recap

Rain: It separates the warriors from the weaklings.

That's what I told my XC kids this week when they tried to convince me why they shouldn't have to go running out in the rain for practice. Then I had to remind that to myself when I had to do each of my runs in the rain over the last four days. Right now I'm ready for some sunshine and some dry shoes.

Week 14 (9/30 to 10/6) Total Weekly Mileage: 0

Week 15 total weekly mileage: 54

Monday: 4 miles at 8:02 pace. Arm workout.
After the bruised bone diagnosis from the orthopedic and his OK to return to training I hit the roads for a longer-than planned run. My knee felt great and I was happy to be out there once again.

Tuesday: 1.8 miles at XC practice (8:32 pace)
Second run: 6 miles at 7:19 pace. Core Workout
Knowing that I couldn't do a 9 mile speed workout on my second day back I decided to reduce the distance but still keep up the speed. I knew I was taking a risk and that I could have hurt my knee more, but it felt good on the run and after it. I Ran a half mile warm up before a 5 mile tempo run, followed by a half mile cool down. Foam rolling helped to loosen some minor knee pain before and after. I owe a lot to the person that invented the concept of foam rolling.

Wednesday: Day off. 1 mile of start and stop running at practice to time the kids. 

Thursday:  1.7 miles at practice (8:09 pace)
Second run: 8 miles at 7:25 pace. 
The plan called for a 10 mile tempo run, but I knew I wasn't up to that level after taking last week off. I still did a tempo run but shortened it by 2 miles and left out the warm up and cool down. This was the first day of our rainy-day streak that was to come, so I didn't mind the mist that lasted throughout the run.

Friday: 7 miles at 7:50 pace. 
Another rainy day. Got quite wet out there and a little chilly with the colder weather that moved into DC this week.

Saturday: 8 miles at 8:04 pace. Core workout.
Woke up early to get in my own workout before I had to go with the kids to a cross country meet. The rain didn't start until half way through so it was actually a nice and relaxing run. The creek was roaring the whole time with the additional water. The fallen leaves on the wet roads made me think of Vermont.

Few people were out on the normally busy running trails because of the yucky weather and because the park was technically "closed" with the shutdown. Fortunately, I was able to get where I wanted and there was only a half-mile portion of my route that was closed.

Sunday: 16 miles at 8:17 pace

I should have waited 20 minutes before heading out this morning because those first 20 minuets were spent running in wind and cold rain. After 25 minutes the rain held off and I slowly dried off throughout the rest of my run.

I was a tad worried about my legs on this run since I jumped right back into training this week, but I had strength and energy throughout. Hopefully this will be enough to get me to the finish in three weeks at NYC.

_________________

Last Sunday I ordered my second pair of Sauconys. I've been converted from Asics to these fabulous shoes. They came on Wednesday but there was no way they were going to make their debut in the rain. Hopefully the sun comes out tomorrow so I can start to break them in before NYC.

My first race check also came in this week. I'm used to getting medals or gift cards for placing at a race, but I've never actually received money! It was nice to get a $35 check for placing third in the Parks Half. 

Somehow this cycle of training is quickly winding down. Only three more weeks of training and only one week of actual training before the taper. NYC will be here in no time and my only goal now is to stay healthy, focus on nutrition, and to get more sleep during the school week.

NYCM 2013 Training: Weeks 12 and 13 Recap

I've been quiet on here lately because of two reasons. The first, and main reason is that I simply have not had a chance to come on here due to my teaching and coaching schedule. The second reason is because my running has decreased due to a nose dive I took on September 17th, which left my knee in some pain. I followed RICE for a few days then ran on it successfully. However, after a speed workout last Tuesday (stupid, stupid choice...) the pain was back on Wednesday and only got worse.

This seems to be the year of injuries for me.

And for doctor appointments.

After two hours in urgent care on Saturday I was able to rule out a fractured patella. It is suspected that I have a small tear in my meniscus. Yes, that is bad news. But there is good news: since I was able to run on it and there is no swelling while running, that may eliminate the need for any surgery. The X-ray also showed no fluids, which would normally be a sign of a large tear.

A normal knee - but a knee in pain

I'll continue to RICE and will follow up with an orthopedic as directed. I know that a 3:10 marathon at NYC is out the window. My new goal is just to be able to run it. I still have hope that I can get back into running soon, but must remind myself that it is better to be able to run it out of shape than it is to keep training and winding up with a DNS or DNF.

So now that the news is out of the way, I'll continue on with the normal weekly recap.

9/16 to 9/22 Total Weekly Mileage: 38 Miles

Monday: 6.3 miles at 8:02 pace
My legs were finally feeling energized again after my half (recap still to come). I was feeling strong and ready for the speed/strength workout on Tuesday.

Tuesday: 2.6 miles at 8:17 pace
Nose dive day. Coach and I ran during practice and were searching for kids when I fell. I'm pretty sure I would have landed better and put more pressure on my hands if I hadn't been carrying my keys and cell phone. My body twisted and landed on the sides of my knees, rather than my knee caps. As soon as I got up I knew something was seriously wrong. And my first thought was "is this the end to NYC?"

Normally I can run after a fall. This time I limped. I walked a block before I started to hobble back to the school. And when I got home the pain was bad. I iced all night, went to bed with a pillow under my leg, and prayed that some miracle would happen and I'd wake up healthy again (but knew I wouldn't).

Wednesday: Day off - Running was out of the question

Thursday: 7 miles at 8:20 pace
After a 5 minute, and painful test run to the store and back, I did another 9 minute test run to the store and back because I forgot lemons for a dinner recipe. The knee knee pain seemed to lessen a bit so I decided to try 4 miles. But when my knee felt better after a mile, I decided to make it 5 miles. Yes. I pushed it. When I got home and iced my knee felt so much better. I was cautiously optimistic.

Friday: Day off 

Saturday: 2.2 miles at XC meet (7:57 pace)
Ran around the course during our course walk and for a coaches chat. Very little pain in the knee.

Second run: 10 miles at 7:47 pace
It was raining by the time I got home and making myself run in the rain was THE LAST thing I wanted to do. Tom was also baking chocolate chip cookies, making it even harder to want to go out there....

I felt good once I got out there. But I almost got killed when two cars slammed into each other, spinning around, going on sidewalk, and swiping a third car - just 20 meters in front of me. Thankfully ALL were OK and the DC police and rescue were there within 3 minutes. No joke. Police was there in 1 minute, and rescue in three. I definitely approached the next few intersections with care.

Sunday: 10 miles at 8:02 pace 
Runs usually put me in a good mood, especially on a gorgeous morning. But I had so much on my mind when I woke up that by the time I finished this run I was in a horrible moon. Now that I can;t run, I wish I had enjoyed it a little more. :(

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9/16 to 9/22 Total Weekly Mileage: 29 Miles

Monday: 4.3 miles at 8:21 pace at XC Practice
Ran with the kiddos and kept the pace slower. The weather was cooler and it finally felt like fall was making its way down to DC.

Second run: 4 miles at 7:29 pace and arm workout
Felt comfortable the entire run.

Tuesday: 1.3 miles at 10:00 pace
Ran between kids at school during practice.

Second Run: 8 miles at 6:57 pace
Strength workout: 3 x 2 mile intervals at 5k pace with 800 meter jog recovery.
I felt good. I flew. I wanted to go fast and my legs carried me there. My knee hurt a little on impacts, but not horribly. Were there times when I thought, "Dani, perhaps you should slow down and not kill yourself?" Of course. I was stupid. And I wish I could have listened to that little voice.....

Wednesday: 2 miles at 8:13 pace and Squats and Lunges
Every time I landed I felt pain. The squats and lunges I did in the woods while I waited for kids to pass me at mile 2 also did not help my knee. This was another day I wish I could take back to prevent the damage I may have caused to my knee.

Thursday: 2.1 miles at 8:16 pace
Ran with a few kids around the school during practice and felt pain upon each landing. I knew my knee was getting bad. And I knew it was about time to see a doctor.

Friday: 7 miles at 8:14 pace
How to break your body and never heal: Go running after you've had knee pain all day. And continue to run on it when you feel like you're having the worst pain of your life. And keep running when you've stopped a few times and started walking back home but decided to turn around and try it again. And when you cut your run back early (trying to be somewhat smart) just run right past your apartment building and add two miles on.

As much as the first 5 miles of this run were painful, the last two were actually pain free. The knee seemed fine the rest of the night. But the next day.... that was a different story.

Saturday: A few minutes of running around at an XC meet
I knew I was done. Hobbling (while walking) from the start to mile two at the XC meet only confirmed that I actually could not run. As soon as I got home I searched for the nearest Urgent Care that accepted my insurance and that could do x-rays.

Injuries happen in this sport and it sucks when they do. I know my problem is my ambition and my belief that I can push through it and it'll get better. Unfortunately, with an injury like this, I have to take time off and rest or it will get worse. It was probably getting better that first week. But I should have never have pushed it with two 10 milers and the speed workout.

Will NYC happen? I hope so. I don't care it I have to walk during it. I signed up last year and couldn't do it. This year I am was in the best shape of my life and was looking for a fast PR. That PR won't come, and I know I have to think long-term, but gosh-dang, I want to run this race once and for all.

For now, I'm left with my weights. I get to experience running by watching the XC kids. I wish they could have known how much I would have given to trade spots this afternoon while they did their track work. My body wants to run. My mind wants to run. I can't sit still and its killing me.

NYCM 2013 Training: Week 11 Recap

Fatigue has set in folks! Most of the runs this week were a struggle. Sunday's race left my legs feeling like I had run an entire marathon and they took a few days to feel normal again. School is keeping me super busy. My daily schedule is as follows: Wake up, work, go to school and teach, cross country practice, home to finish my own run, dinner, shower, bed. There's no time for social media or blogging until Friday night and poor Tom and Wilson get very little of my attention :(

Total Weekly Mileage: 52 Miles

Monday: 5 miles at 8:10 pace
Holy sore-legs Batman! My legs got sorer and sorer as they day wore on and by cross country practice I was hobbling around. You know it's bad when you start to feel nauseous walking and running around. Even though I was in pain, I knew I wanted to do a shakeout run when I got home. The first two miles were tough/hilarious but my legs loosened up.

Tuesday: Day off
I decided that it would be fine to take my day off early since my legs were still sore and I had an insane teaching schedule. A post-XC practice saxophone lesson pushed me over and I called it a day.

Wednesday: 7.8 miles at 7:36 pace
I should have done an 8 mile tempo run on Thursday but I knew that we were supposed to get storms. My legs were still tired, so I cut my tempo short, only doing 6 miles. I don't particularly enjoy having to run so late at night and coming home in the dark. And it will only get worse the further we get into fall.....

Thursday: 15 Minutes Insanity with the team
An afternoon storm pushed us indoors and left us working out to Insanity.

PM run: 8 miles at 7:57 pace
Once the storms ended I headed out. I woke up with a cold this morning, and wasn't sure how hard to push myself. Took the miles easy.

Friday: 7 miles at 8:03 pace
Still. Have. Tired. Legs. The heat broke Thursday and left us with a much cooler day (70s vs. 90s). The woods were calling me and I started running early enough to get to them.

Saturday: 5 miles at 9:01 pace. 
If the kids don't have a meet then we head out for a long run. I ran between groups, getting in some easy miles.

Second run: 3 miles at 8:15 pace
This run was the most difficult of the week. I had serious doubts about a 16 miler on Sunday. I ran once I got home from practice and my body hated me the whole time.

Sunday Race Day: 16 miles at 8:02 pace 
It is amazing what a solid 9 hours of sleep will do for the body. For the first time this week, I woke up with energy and my legs were no longer sore. It was a gorgeous morning for a long run, which brought me by a pumpkin stand and a farmer's stand that Tom and I went back to later in the day.

I only brought one Gu and no water, but planned the route to go by a water fountain around mile 13. It wasn't until mile 11 that I started to feel the fatigue again. Normally that would make me frustrated, but I remind myself that it's good to run on fatigue on Sundays.

What I'm loving:

My Sauconys

I won a free pair of Saucony's a few weeks ago and have completed the last three weeks of training in them. I love them. They aren't tearing apart my heals like my Asics did, nor are my heals tearing apart the backs of these shoes like they did in the Asics. I find that I am tying them pretty tightly, but I love how my feet feel in them while running. I was a little bummed to get another white pair of sneakers (I love the neon shoes) but have finally moved on from that detail. 

I think I'm hooked. I'll definitely try another pair of Saucony next time I'm shoe shopping!