Brooklyn Half Marathon - Saturday, May 17, 2014 (Wave 2)
Hey all ... the elusive, the grand, the much talked about Brooklyn Half Marathon. My first of the five borough series runs.
I made a lot of mistakes during this run. None that were truly detrimental (not to say that they couldn't be, but they weren't this time, thankfully).
I started the race .... moved down to an unassigned corral to start with a friend. I don't mind in the course of my racing to end up alone, but I like to know that I start with my friends and of course, at then end, meetup with my friends. It is part of the camaraderie of a race after all.
My friend, bless her, we started the race and she said "see you at the finish line". There was no malice in her tone just resignation in it. I knew what she meant, I was fidgeting with my ipod trying to get the darn thing started, but I heard her and I knew what she meant. After I got the ipod started (only moments after crossing the start line) I felt the rush in my legs, the anxious in my blood, the burning desire coursing through my veins, I saluted my friend with a wave of my hand and a nod of my head and I turned to look forward and I never turned back around. Not because I didn't care, not because I thought I was better, but because my focus was before me. My race, the behemoth I had been watiting for all year ... the Brooklyn half, loomed before me, the ghost that I'd been chasing and training for, for the last 5 and a half months beckoned me. "Face me! Conquer me! Or fail ...." Failure, I knew ... was not in my options. So I turned from my friend, my comrade in training and faced my biggest challenge yet ... the Brooklyn Half.
The first few miles felt good, I wasn't even paying attention. There were parts of the race I frankly don't recall ... was I in my zone? hopefully so. Then I looked up as I entered prospect park and realized as I checked my clock that I was at mile 4 and at 33 minutes ... "oh no, chang!" That pace is NOT sustainable. That was a 8:15 pace. While that's OK for a shorter distance race, I knew without a doubt that it would not be sustainable for 13 miles. So I endeavored to slow my pace. Passing mile 5 ... 42 minutes ... I had slowed to a 9 minute/mile which is a sustainable pace to the 13 miles. Just stay here Chang, you got this! Mile 7 ... 1 hour (yikes!) Exiting prospect park and making my way onto Ocean Parkway, I knew that I had taken a quick far too fast pace for my endurance and that I would pay for that dearly in the upcoming miles ... my IT band, which had been bother me the entire week prior to, was starting to pull and pinch and tighten up .... A bad sign. "Keep loose Chang, you got this! Relax!" On my half marathon wristband, it says that you have to maintain a 9:09 pace in order to achieve a 2 hr marathon. So I figure if I keep a 9 min/mile pace that I should be fine. Reaching 7 miles in 60 minutes meant that I had an average pace of 8:34. Not good. Even though I slowed down ... I knew I had gunned it too much at the beginning and the latter part of my race was going to suffer for it.
We rounded the corner to cross the bridge that would lead us onto the ocean parkway and as we descended the downward ramp onto ocean parkway, I knew what should have been a recovery downhill felt like misery and that doom would shortly arrive. I expected fatigue to come knocking, but what I did NOT expect was for my IT band to start tightening up. Going into mile 9, I felt the twinge of what would become an excruciating experience for me for the remainder of the race. As mile 9 progressed I felt the tightness getting worse, there was really only one thing I could ... slow down. But as I slowed, I felt the pain was getting worse, but I couldn't speed up because my body was fatigued ... ugh! Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Needless to say, miles 9 through 11 were plagued with multiple stops and the meaning of "mental toughness" was never more needed than in those moments. That easy stretch of the ocean parkway that's just flat was one of the most excruciating mental tests of my life. Why??? Because it seemed like the road stretched on FOREVER. You spend 6 miles running into ETERNITY and with a bad IT band ... it's just ALL BAD. LOL!
Somehow though I managed to continue the run and as I approached the 20K mile split, I checked my time and it said 1:50 ... hallelujah!!!! I was at the 12.5 mile marker and still 10 minutes under my goal pace, how could this be?!?!?! I had committed at mile 11 to running this slower than my last half (the more/fitness magazine women's half at 2:01:41). That spurred me on ... you can't quit NOW!!!! As we rounded the last stretch onto the Coney Island boardwalk ... the finish line was clearly in my sight, now all I have to do is push the Nitrous Oxide button for that last dash to the finish line, aaaannnnnnndddd.... PUSH.....nothing. What?!!?!?!?!?!? A fizzle at best, clearly I had expended all of my energy fighting through the last 4 miles, I barely picked it up near the finish line but I finished and stopped my ipod in time to hear it say ... 1:56 .... whaaaaaaat?!?!?!?!?! No way!!!!
Here are my stats for the Brooklyn half (it was clearly filled with much more competitive runners! Huzzah!)
Final Time: 1:56:43
Average Pace: 8:55
Rank: 10,303 / 25,587 (top 40.3%)
Age Place: 964 / 6,634 (top 14.5%)
Gender Place: 3,583 / 13,678 (top 26.2%)
Splits:
5K - 26:24
10K - 53:38
15K - 1:21:25
20K - 1:50:34
Take Away:
All - I want to say quite plainly that I DID NOT for any reason, pace myself appropriately for this race and as a result, I suffered tremendously on the back end. Yes you can say that I had an IT band issue as it was stemming from earlier in the week, but the IT band issue may not have become a factor in the race at all if I had not over exerted it in the beginning. I made a lot of poor decisions in this race and the first one started with underestimating it. While it's true that the last 6 or so miles of the race take place on the mostly flat course of Ocean Parkway, you can't deny the difficulty of running down a road that seems to have NO end. The head game that one endures is mostly unbearable. In my speakings with other runners, almost all have agreed that the worst and toughest (though not physically) part of the entire course was those 6 miles down Ocean Parkway. I am eager to run this course again in 2015 and look forward to it with nothing but excitement! But I will NOT underestimate it again ... btw, the Brooklyn folks came out in force all along the way and showed some serious LOVE!!!! If you are a Brooklyn half spectator reading this and you came out and showed the runners some love, I can't THANK YOU enough!!! =) I don't think you all understand how much each and every one of you bolster us ("the runners") along. You're support makes our run that much easier, so THANK YOU and I hope you never stop supporting us!!!!
Next Run: NY Tri-State Spartan Sprint (Saturday, May 31, 2014)
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Sunday, May 11, 2014
JAPAN DAY RUN 4M
May 11, 2014 - (aka Mother's Day!)
Hey all - today is Mother's Day! Let's take a moment to appreciate the women who have made us who we are today, whether your are or are not biologically our mother, you are STILL our PARENT who raised us, who ingrained in us a purpose and nurtured it and gave us strength and the courage to pursue it. We are grateful.
That being said, today was the EXACT SAME run that i completed 2 weekends ago. Last time (see my post re Run As One 4M), I completed this particular course in 33:16. Of course, (true to form) there was NO WAY I was going to run this exact same course 2 weeks later ... slower (barring of course some serious injury).
I must admit ... while my first mile i completed it in 8:22 ... i couldn't remember if i had run that faster in the last run. I know that approaching my second mile, that I was faster. In the rolling hills that plague miles 2.25 through 3.5 I did not stop, though at almost the exact same spot as 2 weeks ago, I contracted a nasty stitch. But this time, my resolve was to fight through it and not stop like I did last time. ... any speed of running, no matter how slow, is faster than walking. So I committed to running through the stitch, I'll pay for it later I know, but at the moment there was NO way I was going to stop to walk. That's definitely a result of my lack of training myself to breathe correctly at a higher pace, I will learn ... eventually.
I attempted to sprint the last 0.2 miles as we rounded the corner that would lead us to the finish line but my legs were oddly shot (thanks steve for making me do 110lb squats 3 days before!) and I found it difficult to push the pace until the last 0.1 miles ... which of course I hit the Nitrous Oxide button and sped through the finish line trying desperately to catch my breath (thanks allergies! I appreciate that you showed up full force all over the floor, pollen everywhere to welcome me into Central Park). I stopped the watch just in time to hear it say ... 32:48 ... really?!
Of course, only would I celebrate when I looked up my OFFICIAL time at nyrr.org. I got home and of course, while none of the other statistics were up I attempted to extract my time from the nyrr.org, which, were of course, readily available .... 32:45, pace 8:12. Huzzah! I beat my old time! Which can only meant that there was improvement! Here are my final times:
Final Time - 32:45
Pace - 8:12
Rank - 1516/5707 (top 26.6%)
Age Place - 69/530 (top 13%)
Gender Place - 321/2736 (top 11.7%)
Next Run: Brooklyn Half Marathon (this should be epic!)
Hey all - today is Mother's Day! Let's take a moment to appreciate the women who have made us who we are today, whether your are or are not biologically our mother, you are STILL our PARENT who raised us, who ingrained in us a purpose and nurtured it and gave us strength and the courage to pursue it. We are grateful.
That being said, today was the EXACT SAME run that i completed 2 weekends ago. Last time (see my post re Run As One 4M), I completed this particular course in 33:16. Of course, (true to form) there was NO WAY I was going to run this exact same course 2 weeks later ... slower (barring of course some serious injury).
I must admit ... while my first mile i completed it in 8:22 ... i couldn't remember if i had run that faster in the last run. I know that approaching my second mile, that I was faster. In the rolling hills that plague miles 2.25 through 3.5 I did not stop, though at almost the exact same spot as 2 weeks ago, I contracted a nasty stitch. But this time, my resolve was to fight through it and not stop like I did last time. ... any speed of running, no matter how slow, is faster than walking. So I committed to running through the stitch, I'll pay for it later I know, but at the moment there was NO way I was going to stop to walk. That's definitely a result of my lack of training myself to breathe correctly at a higher pace, I will learn ... eventually.
I attempted to sprint the last 0.2 miles as we rounded the corner that would lead us to the finish line but my legs were oddly shot (thanks steve for making me do 110lb squats 3 days before!) and I found it difficult to push the pace until the last 0.1 miles ... which of course I hit the Nitrous Oxide button and sped through the finish line trying desperately to catch my breath (thanks allergies! I appreciate that you showed up full force all over the floor, pollen everywhere to welcome me into Central Park). I stopped the watch just in time to hear it say ... 32:48 ... really?!
Of course, only would I celebrate when I looked up my OFFICIAL time at nyrr.org. I got home and of course, while none of the other statistics were up I attempted to extract my time from the nyrr.org, which, were of course, readily available .... 32:45, pace 8:12. Huzzah! I beat my old time! Which can only meant that there was improvement! Here are my final times:
Final Time - 32:45
Pace - 8:12
Rank - 1516/5707 (top 26.6%)
Age Place - 69/530 (top 13%)
Gender Place - 321/2736 (top 11.7%)
Next Run: Brooklyn Half Marathon (this should be epic!)
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Run as One 4M
April 27, 2014 - Run As One 4Miles
Hey all - so this was my second marathon qualifying run. My wonderful friend Jessica joined me for this run and despite the leg pain that she was feeling and the fever that she was suffering (which I only discovered AFTER the race), she completed the race in under an HOUR!!!!
That's called SHOWING UP! So proud of her! =)
My allergies weren't particularly cooperative but I think I had them managed pretty well. I also met up with my friend Jeff Wortham who ALSO did an outstanding job (although we LOST him at the beginning of the run and was forced to run without him .... won't lose you at brooklyn half!)
The race was nice and short and of course went the harder direction. Which is fine hahahaha! But I wished it would have gone the easier route which is clockwise versus counter clockwise in Central Park. I set a PR!!!!! Let's see if I keep for my next upcoming 4M race, the Japan Day 4M Race on Mother's Day! =)
Final Time - 33:16
Avg Pace - 8:19
Overall Place - 2641/8056 (top 32.8%)
Gender Place - 647/4045 (top 16%)
Age Place 160/1694 (top 9.4%)
I just want to put it out there that the fastest completion time on this race was 18:53 minutes!!!! Holy COW!!!! That's a 4:43 pace!!!! That's a full on sprint for me and I would putz out maybe 10 feet later HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Take away - I will NEVER run that fast as long as I live! Haaa! I'm going to get on a treadmill and put it up to that pace and see what that speed is ... hang on, I can google it. A 4:43 pace is the equivalent of .... you ready??? DRUM ROLL!!!! - 12.7MPH!!!!! Holy smokes ... literally!!! No seriously though, sometimes you don't think you're ready for these runs. I didn't. My "friend" told me that I should finish in under 35 minutes. I told him he was being optimistic ... I was setting the bar low at 36 minutes, lol. I finished in 33:16 ... well under 35 minutes (which he predicted and I guffawed at). Training kids ... the power of training. Please don't forget to do your SPRINTS (with and without hills) they will build your stamina and ability to tolerate higher speeds. My next race, next week is another 4Miles and is the exact same course. Naturally, I expect to run it faster ... will it happen??? Who knows ... every day in running is different ... you NEVER run the same run twice. I'll set the bar low again, i'm sure ha!
Next: Japan Day Run 4M Race (May 11)
Hey all - so this was my second marathon qualifying run. My wonderful friend Jessica joined me for this run and despite the leg pain that she was feeling and the fever that she was suffering (which I only discovered AFTER the race), she completed the race in under an HOUR!!!!
That's called SHOWING UP! So proud of her! =)
My allergies weren't particularly cooperative but I think I had them managed pretty well. I also met up with my friend Jeff Wortham who ALSO did an outstanding job (although we LOST him at the beginning of the run and was forced to run without him .... won't lose you at brooklyn half!)
The race was nice and short and of course went the harder direction. Which is fine hahahaha! But I wished it would have gone the easier route which is clockwise versus counter clockwise in Central Park. I set a PR!!!!! Let's see if I keep for my next upcoming 4M race, the Japan Day 4M Race on Mother's Day! =)
Final Time - 33:16
Avg Pace - 8:19
Overall Place - 2641/8056 (top 32.8%)
Gender Place - 647/4045 (top 16%)
Age Place 160/1694 (top 9.4%)
I just want to put it out there that the fastest completion time on this race was 18:53 minutes!!!! Holy COW!!!! That's a 4:43 pace!!!! That's a full on sprint for me and I would putz out maybe 10 feet later HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Take away - I will NEVER run that fast as long as I live! Haaa! I'm going to get on a treadmill and put it up to that pace and see what that speed is ... hang on, I can google it. A 4:43 pace is the equivalent of .... you ready??? DRUM ROLL!!!! - 12.7MPH!!!!! Holy smokes ... literally!!! No seriously though, sometimes you don't think you're ready for these runs. I didn't. My "friend" told me that I should finish in under 35 minutes. I told him he was being optimistic ... I was setting the bar low at 36 minutes, lol. I finished in 33:16 ... well under 35 minutes (which he predicted and I guffawed at). Training kids ... the power of training. Please don't forget to do your SPRINTS (with and without hills) they will build your stamina and ability to tolerate higher speeds. My next race, next week is another 4Miles and is the exact same course. Naturally, I expect to run it faster ... will it happen??? Who knows ... every day in running is different ... you NEVER run the same run twice. I'll set the bar low again, i'm sure ha!
Next: Japan Day Run 4M Race (May 11)
Sunday, April 20, 2014
MORE/Fitness Magazine Half Marathon
Sunday - April 13, 2014
THIS motley running "pink" crew: Me, Ruth Custodio, Jessica Mieles, Nelly Baez (not pictured)
Got the absolute worst attack of allergies on Saturday morning ... spent Saturday walking around in a fog ... not good, since I was recovering from a cold and now being attacked with allergies the day before the Half Marathon ... could only mean disaster for me. But it's my FIRST qualifying marathon run ... how do I skip that?
But I had decided that if I continued to feel as terribly as I did earlier on in the day on Saturday that there stood a great chance that I would opt out of running the half.
Good thing for me, on Sunday when I arose (despite my lack or proper sleep, I was anxious and got very spotty sleep at best) I felt better. So I suited up and headed out.
I was supposed to meet up with Jessica, Ruth and Nelly ... unfortunately, I did not find any of these girls until the run had started which upset me greatly.
So I found Jessica and Ruth running together in the beginning and apparently Nelly was just a little ahead but as I surged forward to find her ... I never ended up seeing her and so I just settled into my run, as it were.
Passing mile 6 ... I was feeling good in my run (including the giant 110th St hill) and going in Mile 9, I was OK ... but mile 9 to mile 10 is where the 110th St hill is for the SECOND time and of course, the second climb was entirely draining ... it probably didn't help that I had a tremendous amount of difficulty accessing my supplements (endurolytes, antifatigues, etc ...) I had no problem getting a hold of my gels (I discovered the spibelt wrist band! Best thing ever for those who can't wear fanny belts!).
Passing Mile 10 ... my energy levels were suddenly, utterly depleted. I could feel my pace slowing tremendously and I knew that there were atleast 2 more significant hills after the 110th St hill. I was dreading it and I tried desperately on the downhill to recover my energy, of course to absolutely no avail. By the time I was passing mile 11.5 where my friend was waiting and cheering for me, I was giving the THUMBS DOWN sign and every fiber in my person wanted to QUIT. At that point, I felt that there was no way I would be able to complete this half in my goal of under 2:03:05 (my pace had slowed so dramatically), I was certain that 2:05:00 would be my finishing time. But when I saw the 12 mile marker, I said to myself ... you can't have come this far to quit NOW?????
So, true to form despite my inability to breathe properly (I had stopped during this run on a couple of occasions to BREATHE because I couldn't catch my breath from my allergies), I picked up the pace for the last 1.1 miles ... had to make my split right? I picked a girl that I saw towards the last half of that mile and she was running my pace roughly, maybe just a little faster but I kept her pace and towards the end, when we passed the 13 mile marker I usurped the last amount of energy I had remaining and made an all out effort for the finish line. When I passed the finish line and pressed the stop on my ipod .... I heard it say "2:01:47". In my head, my only response was, "NO WAY!!!"
I was so tired ... I didn't have the energy to think about the details of my run and where I might have picked up the pace. When I finally got back to my apartment though, I made sure to look up my time on the NYRR official results website and my official finish time was 2:01:41!!!! Super awesome! Despite how tired, how sick, how difficult it was to breathe, and the amount of times I had to stop in order to breathe, I managed to complete the half under my goal time by 1:24.
I think this is a testament to the strength and will of the human body. Despite what ailed me, I could overcome all these factors that I thought would be the ruin for my run. But one foot in front of the other and I managed to complete the run in not only my goal time but well under. =) Of course, for the booklyn half marathon coming up on May 17, I expect to finish in under 2:01:41 ... so goes the rule for my race running! LOL!
Official Time: 2:01:41
Pace: 9:18
Place: Top 24.6%
Take away?
This time I ran with my brand new 2XU elite compression tights, Hammer Race Caps and Hammer Antifatigue Caps .... I think all of these things while one or the other may not have been the ultimate determining factor as my body and training are probably the greatest factors in my success, they certainly helped. Ladies and gentleman, training works wonders .... I know some people aren't sure if training works but it really does, it teaches your body how to handle stress and more stresss when you're under stress. Technical gear can help you and a STRONG SUPPORT system is one of the most important pieces of your running and training. I realized how important and motivating a strong support system can be. Seeing George cheering me on at miles 5.5 and 11.5 made it easy to keep going and not to quit. Knowing that he would be there at the finish line to greet and congratulate me made me run faster towards the end. =)
Next: Run as One 4Mile Run (April 27)
THIS motley running "pink" crew: Me, Ruth Custodio, Jessica Mieles, Nelly Baez (not pictured)
Got the absolute worst attack of allergies on Saturday morning ... spent Saturday walking around in a fog ... not good, since I was recovering from a cold and now being attacked with allergies the day before the Half Marathon ... could only mean disaster for me. But it's my FIRST qualifying marathon run ... how do I skip that?
But I had decided that if I continued to feel as terribly as I did earlier on in the day on Saturday that there stood a great chance that I would opt out of running the half.
Good thing for me, on Sunday when I arose (despite my lack or proper sleep, I was anxious and got very spotty sleep at best) I felt better. So I suited up and headed out.
I was supposed to meet up with Jessica, Ruth and Nelly ... unfortunately, I did not find any of these girls until the run had started which upset me greatly.
So I found Jessica and Ruth running together in the beginning and apparently Nelly was just a little ahead but as I surged forward to find her ... I never ended up seeing her and so I just settled into my run, as it were.
Passing mile 6 ... I was feeling good in my run (including the giant 110th St hill) and going in Mile 9, I was OK ... but mile 9 to mile 10 is where the 110th St hill is for the SECOND time and of course, the second climb was entirely draining ... it probably didn't help that I had a tremendous amount of difficulty accessing my supplements (endurolytes, antifatigues, etc ...) I had no problem getting a hold of my gels (I discovered the spibelt wrist band! Best thing ever for those who can't wear fanny belts!).
Passing Mile 10 ... my energy levels were suddenly, utterly depleted. I could feel my pace slowing tremendously and I knew that there were atleast 2 more significant hills after the 110th St hill. I was dreading it and I tried desperately on the downhill to recover my energy, of course to absolutely no avail. By the time I was passing mile 11.5 where my friend was waiting and cheering for me, I was giving the THUMBS DOWN sign and every fiber in my person wanted to QUIT. At that point, I felt that there was no way I would be able to complete this half in my goal of under 2:03:05 (my pace had slowed so dramatically), I was certain that 2:05:00 would be my finishing time. But when I saw the 12 mile marker, I said to myself ... you can't have come this far to quit NOW?????
So, true to form despite my inability to breathe properly (I had stopped during this run on a couple of occasions to BREATHE because I couldn't catch my breath from my allergies), I picked up the pace for the last 1.1 miles ... had to make my split right? I picked a girl that I saw towards the last half of that mile and she was running my pace roughly, maybe just a little faster but I kept her pace and towards the end, when we passed the 13 mile marker I usurped the last amount of energy I had remaining and made an all out effort for the finish line. When I passed the finish line and pressed the stop on my ipod .... I heard it say "2:01:47". In my head, my only response was, "NO WAY!!!"
I was so tired ... I didn't have the energy to think about the details of my run and where I might have picked up the pace. When I finally got back to my apartment though, I made sure to look up my time on the NYRR official results website and my official finish time was 2:01:41!!!! Super awesome! Despite how tired, how sick, how difficult it was to breathe, and the amount of times I had to stop in order to breathe, I managed to complete the half under my goal time by 1:24.
I think this is a testament to the strength and will of the human body. Despite what ailed me, I could overcome all these factors that I thought would be the ruin for my run. But one foot in front of the other and I managed to complete the run in not only my goal time but well under. =) Of course, for the booklyn half marathon coming up on May 17, I expect to finish in under 2:01:41 ... so goes the rule for my race running! LOL!
Official Time: 2:01:41
Pace: 9:18
Place: Top 24.6%
Take away?
This time I ran with my brand new 2XU elite compression tights, Hammer Race Caps and Hammer Antifatigue Caps .... I think all of these things while one or the other may not have been the ultimate determining factor as my body and training are probably the greatest factors in my success, they certainly helped. Ladies and gentleman, training works wonders .... I know some people aren't sure if training works but it really does, it teaches your body how to handle stress and more stresss when you're under stress. Technical gear can help you and a STRONG SUPPORT system is one of the most important pieces of your running and training. I realized how important and motivating a strong support system can be. Seeing George cheering me on at miles 5.5 and 11.5 made it easy to keep going and not to quit. Knowing that he would be there at the finish line to greet and congratulate me made me run faster towards the end. =)
Next: Run as One 4Mile Run (April 27)
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Allergies .. Really?! The day BEFORE the More/Fitness Magazine Half?!
Seriously?!
Someone has a sick sense of humor somewhere ...
I wake up Wednesday morning ... sore throat ... oh HEEEEELLLLL NAAAAAHHHH!!!
You MUST be kidding! Sunday is my first qualifying half marathon for the NYRR - the MORE/Fitness Magazine Half Marathon. I am NOT catching a COLD today! Absolutely NOT!
Mind you, for the last 2 weeks ... EVERYONE and their GRANDMA has come to work ... nicknamed Typhoid Mary or Mike. How I've managed to dodge the bullets is yet as unknown... however, as chances would have it ... I wouldn't be able to dodge the bullets forever ... I succumb.
NO! NO!! NO!!!
I skipped out on the Poland Spring 15K run the weekend before because it was raining and I wasn't running in 40 degree weather with rain, catching a cold a week before the half marathon was NOT an option. NOT!!!!!!!
REWIND to Tuesday morning ... wake up feeling OK. Go to the gym and nearly DIE attempting to complete a Fartlek training run ... I make it a grand total of 3 miles ... mind you the first mile was warming up so no training had ... I could only sustain 2 miles of training and I thought I was going to pass out, couldn't catch my breath, it was AWFUL!!!! To add icing on the cake, I had training with Steve. Oye!
FAST FORWARD, Wednesday. Decide to skip the gym in the morning because I can't get up and I don't feel well and I decide the extra 2 hours of sleep might actually be helpful. I decide on my way into work that I'm picking up a large fresh juice (apples, carrots and lots of ginger) and I grab a box of Cold-Eeze. All day Wednesday, my head is basically in a cloud, but by the end of the day, I'm starting to feel slightly normal. I go home and promptly pass out at 8PM. Nice.
Thursday, it's my last chance for a training run before the half ... I get up feeling OK (yay for sleep! and drugs! LOL!). I head into the gym, my dear friend says this is her last chance to practice running outside before the half ... half of me says "BAD IDEA!!!!" the other half says ... "she has a point ...". We end up going outside, she gave me a sweater tho, lol! We take it easy, run 6 miles at about a 10:45 pace ... nice and easy, nothing crazy. Feeling good. Get home pass out at 8:30PM. Nice!
Friday, feeling super duper awesome! I'm at 90%, woo hoo!!! I got this, I beat this cold! Get to the expo, have lots of fun and an awesome dinner with Jessica and Ruth (fellow friends and runners). Get home ... sneeze attacks ... uh oh??? Grab the allegra and shove into mouth, pray pray pray!!!!
Saturday ... oh HELL!!!!! Can't breathe, totally stuffed up, coughing again from the post nasal drip from my allergies and I feel like friggin' hell!!! NO! NO!! NO!!!
How did I go from feeling 90% to 60-70% at best?! This is outta control ... I beat the cold and get bitch slapped by my allergies! It's not fair!!! Let's hope I don't putz out tomorrow ya'll ... I'll let you know how it goes down ... but I feel like this ... it's going to be a 3-hour half marathon.... sigh...
Someone has a sick sense of humor somewhere ...
I wake up Wednesday morning ... sore throat ... oh HEEEEELLLLL NAAAAAHHHH!!!
You MUST be kidding! Sunday is my first qualifying half marathon for the NYRR - the MORE/Fitness Magazine Half Marathon. I am NOT catching a COLD today! Absolutely NOT!
Mind you, for the last 2 weeks ... EVERYONE and their GRANDMA has come to work ... nicknamed Typhoid Mary or Mike. How I've managed to dodge the bullets is yet as unknown... however, as chances would have it ... I wouldn't be able to dodge the bullets forever ... I succumb.
NO! NO!! NO!!!
I skipped out on the Poland Spring 15K run the weekend before because it was raining and I wasn't running in 40 degree weather with rain, catching a cold a week before the half marathon was NOT an option. NOT!!!!!!!
REWIND to Tuesday morning ... wake up feeling OK. Go to the gym and nearly DIE attempting to complete a Fartlek training run ... I make it a grand total of 3 miles ... mind you the first mile was warming up so no training had ... I could only sustain 2 miles of training and I thought I was going to pass out, couldn't catch my breath, it was AWFUL!!!! To add icing on the cake, I had training with Steve. Oye!
FAST FORWARD, Wednesday. Decide to skip the gym in the morning because I can't get up and I don't feel well and I decide the extra 2 hours of sleep might actually be helpful. I decide on my way into work that I'm picking up a large fresh juice (apples, carrots and lots of ginger) and I grab a box of Cold-Eeze. All day Wednesday, my head is basically in a cloud, but by the end of the day, I'm starting to feel slightly normal. I go home and promptly pass out at 8PM. Nice.
Thursday, it's my last chance for a training run before the half ... I get up feeling OK (yay for sleep! and drugs! LOL!). I head into the gym, my dear friend says this is her last chance to practice running outside before the half ... half of me says "BAD IDEA!!!!" the other half says ... "she has a point ...". We end up going outside, she gave me a sweater tho, lol! We take it easy, run 6 miles at about a 10:45 pace ... nice and easy, nothing crazy. Feeling good. Get home pass out at 8:30PM. Nice!
Friday, feeling super duper awesome! I'm at 90%, woo hoo!!! I got this, I beat this cold! Get to the expo, have lots of fun and an awesome dinner with Jessica and Ruth (fellow friends and runners). Get home ... sneeze attacks ... uh oh??? Grab the allegra and shove into mouth, pray pray pray!!!!
Saturday ... oh HELL!!!!! Can't breathe, totally stuffed up, coughing again from the post nasal drip from my allergies and I feel like friggin' hell!!! NO! NO!! NO!!!
How did I go from feeling 90% to 60-70% at best?! This is outta control ... I beat the cold and get bitch slapped by my allergies! It's not fair!!! Let's hope I don't putz out tomorrow ya'll ... I'll let you know how it goes down ... but I feel like this ... it's going to be a 3-hour half marathon.... sigh...
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Hammer Nutrition - Race Caps & Anti-fatigue Caps
So I finally got my first order of Hammer Nutrition supplements! I've been wanting to try these out because at the DC Half Marathon, George was so kind as to let us try out his supplements that he had brought and I felt like there was a definite difference in my performance! =)
If you are interested in finding out more information about Hammer Nutrition and all of their products, please visit their website:
www.hammernutrition.com
As a surprise, they gave me an additional 15% off of my first purchase and included a welcome to Hammer nutrition kit that includes a myriad of their products line:
- HEED Melon
- Recoverite Strawberry
- Perpetuem Orange-Vanilla
- Hammer Gel Huckleberry
- Hammer Gel Orange
- Endurolytes Fizz Mango, Grapefruit, Lemon Lime and Grape
- Hammer Bar Oatmeal Apple
I've already taken the Race Caps as they are part of their daily essentials trinity. It came just in time because I plan on a long training run tomorrow, I'd like to see how the Race Caps and Anti-Fatigues caps enhance my performance. =) I'll be back on tomorrow to let you know how my run goes!
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
March 15, 2014 - DC Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon
So first run of the year for 2014 and we open up with a HALF MARATHON!!!!!
Couldn't open our running season with something easier ... just had to go balls to the wall! Ha! So here's our motley running crew!
From left to right: Crystal Fasano, Ruth Custodio, George Folch, and Me!
I followed a hefty running/training plan that had me running about 30 miles per week. I don't know if it helped or not but I will tell you that my experience with this half marathon was TERRIBLE.
If I didn't know what a good race was like, I'm certain I would have quit running races on this very day! I'm not sure where many of these runners trained (under a rock?) or if at all. Obviously, running etiquette was lacking entirely. If you are slower, move to the side or the right of the road and let the faster runners pass. Do NOT in the middle of your run come to a screeching halt to walk! Slowly move to the side as you slow your pace before stopping to walk. Do NOT stop to take pictures in the middle of your run (this tags with my last statement).
My final time was 2:03:05 (9:24 min/mile average pace). I'm not upset with this time ... I said that I would be happy with anything under 2:10:00 (10min/mile pace) and coming in just shy of 7 minutes under that time is respectable. My next goal is to run my next half marathon (Fitness Magazine Women's Half on April 13) in under that time.
Admittedly, I felt like I sprinted this entire race, I ran ... I had to suddenly stop and then sprint to get my pace back ... I don't have enough fingers and toes to count how many times I had to do this. You waste a lot of energy upfront doing this and by mile 7 i was exhausted. In the 2 hours I spent running, my ipod was on the whole time and I didn't hear a SINGLE SONG!!! That is how terribly distracted I was about dodging people throughout the entire race. I paid a terrible price for that distraction, I didn't check in ONCE with how my feet, legs, knees, and/or back were feeling ... as a result, at mile 7, BOTH of my knees decided to let me know that they were extremely displeased.
I cannot explain to you how excruciating it is to run an additional 6.1 more miles with stabbing knee pain. Suffice it to say, at mile 10, my ankles decided to tell me that I was without a doubt absolutely abusing my knees and my ankles. Somehow, I mustered the ability to run through knee and ankle pains to complete the run. But in the following days, I realized just how beat up my legs were (quads and calves were sore the day after! WTF?! I have run so many long runs, 12/13 miles, without any knee, ankle, quad or calves issues). It took a week for my legs to start feeling normal again. Sunday (3/23) I ran 8 miles in 66 minutes (8:20 average pace). Better.
Take away advice: 1) Check in with your body no matter how distracting a race and other racers can be. It's not worth it to suffer the injuries for not checking in with your body. 2) Training is paramount. There is NO WAY I would have been able to push through that pain and complete that half marathon in the time that I did without training. My injuries would have been far worse without training (conditioning your body to take tremendous amounts of external stress) and lingered much longer without a doubt. 3) Get the proper gear! I had my compression pants and wind proof gear on BUT I borrowed a friend's spibelt to carry my gels, shot bloks and cell phone ... and that turned into a bouncy, entirely distracting fanny pack! Crystal and George swear up and down by Nathan's. I guess there's really no way of me finding out whether that works or not other than by trying it out ... but that means I have to buy it. ugh. I can't believe i'm buying a fanny pack, lol.
Up next: More/Fitness Magazine Women's Half Marathon (stay tuned!)
Monday, January 27, 2014
Beginner's Half Marathon Training Plans
Hey all - these are for people who are beginner runners! Please do not move into intermediate training plans unless you really are an intermediate runner!
This is from marathonrookie.com
And of course we couldn't forget runner's world!
http://www.runnersworld.com/beginners/the-8-week-beginners-program?page=single
It was actually really long and I didn't want to post the WHOLE thing. Do take a note out of the runner's world page. Do NOT rush the running! It (speed and distance) will come with time and impatience and hurrying will ONLY lead you to certain injury. Remember core, form and stability are the foundations of running. If you don't know what proper form is and how to increase your core and stability, make sure you find someone (ie, trainer, or a friend who is an experienced runner) to teach you. It's not impossible to correct bad form, but if you start off with the right form you will be much better off (and probably avoid a multitude of injuries you could have sustained otherwise)!
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to send me a message, I have trained my friends and would be happy to send you any pointers!
This is from marathonrookie.com
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Rest | 3 | 3 | Rest | 4 | Rest | 13 |
| 2 | 3 | Rest | 4 | 3 | Rest | 5 | Rest | 15 |
| 3 | 3 | Rest | 4 | 3 | Rest | 6 | Rest | 16 |
| 4 | 3 | Rest | 5 | 3 | Rest | 8 | Rest | 19 |
| 5 | 3 | Rest | 5 | 3 | Rest | 10 | Rest | 21 |
| 6 | 4 | Rest | 5 | 4 | Rest | 11 | Rest | 24 |
| 7 | 4 | Rest | 6 | 4 | Rest | 12 | Rest | 26 |
| 8 | 4 | Rest | 5 | 4 | Rest | 9 | Rest | 22 |
| 9 | 3 | Rest | 4 | 3 | Rest | 8 | Rest | 18 |
| 10 | 3 | Rest | 3 | Walk 2 | Rest | 13.1 | Rest | 21.1 |
And of course we couldn't forget runner's world!
http://www.runnersworld.com/beginners/the-8-week-beginners-program?page=single
It was actually really long and I didn't want to post the WHOLE thing. Do take a note out of the runner's world page. Do NOT rush the running! It (speed and distance) will come with time and impatience and hurrying will ONLY lead you to certain injury. Remember core, form and stability are the foundations of running. If you don't know what proper form is and how to increase your core and stability, make sure you find someone (ie, trainer, or a friend who is an experienced runner) to teach you. It's not impossible to correct bad form, but if you start off with the right form you will be much better off (and probably avoid a multitude of injuries you could have sustained otherwise)!
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to send me a message, I have trained my friends and would be happy to send you any pointers!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
8-week Half Marathon Training Schedule (Shape Magazine)
Hi y'all,
This first 8-week schedule Half Marathon Training schedule is from Shape Magazine.
I'm already 1-week into my training, so for me I will be starting at the 2-week training program. Huzzah! Oooorraaaahhhh! Arooooooo!
ps - these are intermediate runner training plans ... i will post beginners training plans shortly.
This first 8-week schedule Half Marathon Training schedule is from Shape Magazine.
8 Week Half Marathon Training Program
| Week | LSD | Recovery | Track | Cross Train | Tempo | Rest | Cross Train | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Total | |
| Week 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | X-Train | 3 | REST | X-Train | 13 |
| Week 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | X-Train | 3 | REST | X-Train | 15 |
| Week 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | X-Train | 3 | REST | X-Train | 17 |
| Week 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | X-Train | 5 | REST | X-Train | 19 |
| Week 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | X-Train | 5 | REST | X-Train | 21 |
| Week 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | X-Train | 5 | REST | X-Train | 23 |
| Week 7 | 10 | 6 | 4 | X-Train | 5 | REST | X-Train | 25 |
| Week 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | X-Train | 3 | REST | REST | 15 |
| Race Wk | RACE |
I'm already 1-week into my training, so for me I will be starting at the 2-week training program. Huzzah! Oooorraaaahhhh! Arooooooo!
ps - these are intermediate runner training plans ... i will post beginners training plans shortly.
2014 Races
Hi All -
So as you know I took a break from writing about my training ... oh wait i just took a break from writing for the holiday season, haaa!
Well it's a new year, a new season, new goals, a new haircut, a new job!!!!! So let's get started with the current 2014 racing schedule:
January & February - TRAINING
March
It's a lot of running. It's going to require a lot of training. Will I be ready? Will I rise to the challenge? I plan on it. Just like my new position. I feel a little bit like a fish out of water, right now. I know that with time and once I'm completely transitioned out, I will know what I want to do, I will be able to assert my authority as a manager and no longer as a project administrator. I need to finish my use cases. I need to get started on really becoming prolific on Palantir, becoming an advanced user. I have to spend alot of time working on it, getting better, stronger!
Matthew 7:7-8
Luke 11:9-10
James 1:5-6
I hope you all join me on this journey through training, running, learning, growing .... living. =)
So as you know I took a break from writing about my training ... oh wait i just took a break from writing for the holiday season, haaa!
Well it's a new year, a new season, new goals, a new haircut, a new job!!!!! So let's get started with the current 2014 racing schedule:
January & February - TRAINING
March
- DC Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon (March 15)
- Poland Spring 15K Meltdown (March 30)
- More/Fitness Magazine Women's Half Marathon (April 13)
- Brooklyn Half Marathon (May 17)
- NY Tri-State Spartan Sprint (May 31)
- Queens 10K (June 22)
- PA Spartan Sprint (July 12)
- Percy Sutton Harlem 5K (August 23)
- NJ Super Spartan (September 6)
- Bronx Half Marathon (September 21)
- VT Spartan Beast (September 27)
- Grete's Great Gallop Half Marathon (October 5)
- Staten Island Half Marathon (October 12)
- Puerto Rico Diva Half Marathon (November 9)
It's a lot of running. It's going to require a lot of training. Will I be ready? Will I rise to the challenge? I plan on it. Just like my new position. I feel a little bit like a fish out of water, right now. I know that with time and once I'm completely transitioned out, I will know what I want to do, I will be able to assert my authority as a manager and no longer as a project administrator. I need to finish my use cases. I need to get started on really becoming prolific on Palantir, becoming an advanced user. I have to spend alot of time working on it, getting better, stronger!
Matthew 7:7-8
Luke 11:9-10
James 1:5-6
I hope you all join me on this journey through training, running, learning, growing .... living. =)
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