Everybody cut footloose

ok, yes, so I ran the other day. While there was no pain while running or right after, it did act up a bit after. And through the weekend. Now I know being on my feet and all over the place on Sunday at the philly marathon didn't help. I was debating running on it again to see what happened then decided not to. I call my Dr this morning to tell her what's what. This is the plan:
No running until I get back from Africa, which pretty much means 2 more weeks off.
Start going to PT again.
If when I run when I get back from Africa I have the same issue, another shot in ye foot.
She's encouraged that it didn't hurt when I ran, so she thinks we're on the right track.
As I've been saying (for far too long now) better now than into my Boston cycle. If I'm gonna rest, let it be now. Oh and I keep pulling out that old Esalen chestnut, trust the process. At least I learned something in the fog of Big Sur.

I was down in philly yesterday to cheer on my BQ ladies and my beloved FRNY team mates. I had such a blast. There should be a marathon maniacs for cheering, this was 3rd marathon cheerathon this fall. It leaves me almost as tired as running does. So many amazing people I finally got to meet in person. Us BQ ladies have been online together for....over a year and a half? So nice to put faces to screen names.

All of you had awesome races yesterday! From gutsy performances (FLO!) to Prs, BQs (Kevin, no lie I almost cried when i saw you and your mom both BQed), to first times, to runs to get back in the swing of things, to cheerleading like you wouldn't believe. It was an awesome weekend, can't wait for the Boston Reunion.

Time up and time out

Yes, folks, the day you've all been waiting for is finally here. I know all of you have been on the edge of your chairs.
I ran.
Yes, you heard me right! I whole 2.1 miles! Slow and easy, a nice 9:30 pace. We won't talk about my heart rate. It was pain free. I'd feel a hint of soreness, but I'm totally paranoid about it. I think the test will be if it's sore in the next few hours. I've already stretched and I'm icing as I speak. So now nice and easy and hopefully I'm on the right track.

And now on to some other news. As many of you know (and many of you do too) I spend a lot of time on the Runner's World forum. We have a nice band of ladies all with the goal of BQing and most of have reached it. It's been an unbelievable support and source of info, training buddies, racing pals, and couches to sleep on. Last year, one of our girls got attacked while running, something should never ever happen to anyone. This week, that piece of trash got sentenced to SIXTY YEARS in prison, and I hope he serves every minute of it. Just a reminder to be safe out there, esp. in these colder months when there are less people out and less light.

Many of these same girls are traveling to Philly this weekend for the Philly marathon/half marathon. This will be a meeting of epic proportions, so if you are within 150 mile radius of Philly and hear shrieking laughter, it's us. Also a shout out to me home team who's making the trip down there. Remember, dont go out to fast, check your baggage with your baggage, and run your asses off.

Streets of Philadelphia

Yesterday I ran the Philly Distance Run, which is really Philly's big race. I've run it before but not for several years. It now has a different course (I think) and is a megathon with almost 13000 runners. 

I really love this race and for several reasons. For one, it's in Philly. For those who don't know, I grew up about 12 miles out side of Philly in South Joisy. Back when Rocky was first running up the art museum steps, the Phillies were on their way to their first World Series, and William Penn was the highest thing in the skyline. My best friend, Tracy, also lives in Philly, so I've spent a fair amount of time there. It's a dirty, underdog kinda town.

It's also a flat and fast race who saw Ryan Hall and Catherine "The Great"Ndereba win. Of course they were long done by the time I finished. But anyway...

Loren and I drove down with Bea on Sat. We met up with Flo (blog famous Girl In Motion) and headed to the expo where we also met Kat, another Boston Bound Running Babe.

The morning of the race, Loren and I were up and out early. The race had a 7:45 start. With the crowd so big, it was going off in waves about 2 minutes apart. We were in the 2nd wave. We drove over to the start, beached the car in a lot and I needed to find a portapotty as my stomach felt like a cement mixer. 

The start was chaos. The lines for the bathroom possibly the worst I have ever see. I knew there was no way I could go run this thing without going to the bathroom. I'm standing in line, which I'm sure is going to take 15 minutes to get to the front of. My wave is going off in about 7. As I'm commiserating with those around me, a woman looks at my bib number. She says to me, oh man, you're starting soon! You should cut the line, just go to the front and ask if you can go since you have such a low number. 

So I did. I ran over to the line next to us. Just a note, I'd like to dedicate the rest of this story to Team SloHoMo, esp. Liz cause it totally made me think of you. 

I went of to this woman wearing a hospital gown to keep warm and said can I cut in front of you? Im in the 2nd wave and we're about to start. She just looks at me. Then says, oh what, you assume I'm a slow runner? I actually hadn't given it any thought. I couldn't see her number but she didn't looked like she was in any really hurry to get to the start. So I didn't even know what to say. Then she says CAUSE I AM! and starts laughing. So miss self described slow runner, thank you so much for letting me cut the line and wishing me luck. 

Loren and I then hurried to the start just in time for the national anthem (why do they do that at sporting events?) and for the first wave to get off. It was packed and crazy and chaotic. We actually got held til the 3rd wave but it didn't matter. Loren and I maybe ran the first 10 feet together and she was off. 

I felt good. Telling myself, keep it easy, not too fast. I ran my first mile in 7:34. I knew to go under 1:40 I'd have to average 7:38 pace. I was doing just that. I came through 5k in 23:36, averaging 7:35s.

Now I know when I go out to fast, even when I'm doing it. I know what that feels like. This did not feel like that. I felt great. The flat Philly streets were a nice change from the rolling hills of Central Park where I usually run. I was passed by a DC Front Runner and exchanged hellos. There was also, I'm pretty sure, a FRNY person ahead of me though I dont know who it was. 

This race was so big. As I was approaching mile 4, I could see people in wave 12 in their first mile.

I hit 10k in 47:18, 7:36 pace. So I was holding on. And still felt really good. I took a gel right after the 10k point. 

Then. I'm not sure what happened. It's not like it got harder, it didn't. My legs got heavy. I had no power. I didn't feel like oh my god I'm crashing! But it was like a slow slowdown. I just couldn't hold it. I think I ran outa fuel. I'm not really sure. By 10 miles, (1:17:08) I had slowed to 7:42 pace and just couldn't pick it up. I should have tried another gel but my stomach was still a bit twisted up. Maybe that was the problem, I really dont know.

At mile 11, this woman comes up to me and says Come on NY. I turn, and she's wearing a Reservoir Dogs singlet, another NYC team. I said ah, a familiar face. There were a lot of NYC team runners in this race. I know Loren ran a good part of the race around some Central Park people and a Warren Street guy. 

She says I'm trying for my first sub 1:40. I said me too but it's getting close. Yup, it's going to hurt she says. I tried to stay with her and I just couldn't. I was slowing down. I think I ran that mile in 8 minutes. 

A guy behind me says hey Ironwoman, how you doing. I dont know if I had talked to him earlier. I have the periodic symbol for iron (FE 26) tattooed on the back on my right arm. It's the tattoo I get asked the most about. I gave the universal hand wave for so so and kept trying to grind it out. 

I saw Loren, who was done, right before the mile 13 marker. I just shook my head. My last mile was by far the slowest at 8:10. I did manage to find a little something for that last .1 which I ran in 44 seconds. 

I finished in 1:42:02.

While this is a really big PR, by about 90 seconds, I fully admit to being a bit disappointed. I was totally on pace. I felt great. There was just a little something missing. On the plus side, besides it being a big PR, I am fully confident that I can go under 1:40. 

There are a few shout outs I want to give:

1. RayK who was off in Queen running a half and also in the Race for the Sub 1:40, ran a 1:40:31

2. Sharon, for running Queens on her BIRTHDAY!!!

3. Flo for her great 1:33:51 PR (and people Flo is 4748. This woman is a serious force)

4. Danielle, my childhood friend for finishing her first half yesterday

5.Kat who ran a PR of 1:45

6. and mostly, Loren who PRed by 2.5 minutes with a blistering 1:32:55 placing 13th in our age group out of 1100. 120th woman out of 6394. Loren's had a great running career and it's great to see her excited (even if she'll sorta deny it). This was Loren's 2nd half marathon and she totally surprised herself. She didn't surprise me. I figured that was about what she'd run. I'm totally proud of her.

Of course, my foot was killing me for the rest of the day (UGH) but is actually feeling much better today. Im not sore, just a little tired. I haven't fully decided on what I'll do this week yet. I am looking forward to the weeks post NYC marathon when I can take some time off from running completely and hopefully get 100% healthy.

To tell you the truth I've said it before tomorrow I start in a new

So tomorrow, the Philly Distance Run. I had to miss this last year because I sprained my ankle at Reach the Beach. This year, Reach the Beach is this weekend and I am sitting it out. After 5 years of doing it and running a team, I really needed a break. But a shout out to the Ladies Tea Society who as I speak, is on leg 25.

My running this week has been like a cut back week, but not bad. I went and saw Pete on Monday and he told me what I knew. I have some bursitis in my heel and if I want it to stop hurting I have to stop running. Well, we all know (including Pete) that's not going to happen. So he ultra sounds it, workout my calves, ice, stim, on my way. It felt much better after. Ran Tues with Loren, ran Wed with Bea. Not too much pain for consecutive days. Took Thurs off, ran and awesome awesome 7 yesterday and saw Pete again. He's got a new laser toy so he added that to the mix. And ya know, my foot feels SO MUCH BETTER. I'm hoping I've turned a corner.

I'm feeling something I rarely feel about races: I'm feeling a little nervous. Quite a while ago I set a high goal for myself for this race. I'm pretty sure that'snot going to happen but I really dont know what is. I love this course, it's flat and fast. It was my PR for a long time. I have had an amazing transformation in the half. For a very long time, it was my goal to break 1:50. I did that in Feb in Da Bronx. Then I set my goal to break 1:45. I did that in May in Brooklyn, 3 weeks after the NJ marathon. Now my goal is to go under 1:40. Will it happen tomorrow? I dunno. The half may be my favorite distance. If I could let myself not marathon for a while (and I really should. Maybe after Boston), I think I could run this distance really well. But that's for later to think about.

So we'll see what tomorrow brings. I'll be out there with Flo and Loren. Who I know will both be far ahead of me. This is Loren's 2nd half. I love that she's stepping up the distance. And will still kick my ass.

stroke me stroke me

This weekend, I headed down to Philly for the Strides to Stroke 5k. I blame this entirely on Flo (also known in internet circles as Girl In Motion). I don't remember the last time I ran a flat 5k. Honestly, I may have been 12. In NYC, I run a lot of cross country 5ks which are anything but flat. I do, however, enjoy running through the woods and know the course here very well so even though it's very hilly, I always have fun. So I figured I'd go to Philly, run a flat 5k, and see how fast I could do it.

Here's the thing: I ran a marathon on May 3rd. I ran a half marathon 2 weeks ago, I ran a 10k last week. Adding this 5k makes it 3 races in 3 weeks. And ya know what? That's dumb. It's dumb because I RACED all of them. I'm usually good at pinning on a number and going for a run. I didn't do that here. The Brooklyn have I wanted to run all out and PR. The 10k was a team race and I raced it like a moron and blew up. 

Anyway, on to this one. I dont know how to race a 5k. It's too short. So we walked over to the start from Flo's house and got our numbers. We met up with Judy (a gal from the RWOL Boston girls) and warmed up. My intention was to warm up for 3 miles. I really need to go for a while before something short. Loren and Bea came with me for most of it. I'm so use to NYRR races where there are thousands of people and you need to be in your corral 10 minutes before the start time that I was worried about getting back to the start in time. I ran a bit over 2 miles with some striders. 

The course is flat and out and back. I've run here before, but not since I dropped out of the Philly marathon. That feeling of being hurt and not even being half way done came back to me as I ran behind the art museum.

I lined up with Flo and Judy close to the front. I was really hoping NOT to go out too fast. If last year was any indication to who shows up for this race, I should be up front with only a handful of women.

And we're off. I felt pretty good to start. I knew Flo was going to run a lot faster than me so I intentionally stayed away from her so I wouldn't blow up.  I was figuring my first mile should be between 7-7:10. I hit the marker at 6:58. Ok, maybe a hair too fast. I had 2 women pass me in the first mile and one right in front of me that I was working on catching. When I did catch her, she sped up and passed me back. I let her go. I wasn't going to spend a whole lot of energy going back and forth with her. 

As we got to the turn around, there was water. I went to grab it but the woman holding it didn't let go. Oh well. Oh and the woman who passed me pretty much came to a stand still to drink so I passed her back and never saw her again.

I started running with this boy who looked like he was about 12. He was working hard and I just sorta stuck with him. When I got to the mile 2 marker, I was pissed. 7:38. Are you kidding me? I totally fell asleep at the wheel. I dont know what happened. That's part of the reason I dont like these short races, there's not a whole lot of time to make up for a mistake. 

I left the kid behind. I went into this race with a goal of 22:30. I've wanted to break 23 minutes for years. Earlier this year I came close with a 23:17 on a hilly course when it was 30 degrees out.

I was sorta in no mans land. There were a few guys strung out ahead of me and as far as I could tell, no one too close behind me. Then I heard footsteps. I took a quick look back and it was a woman. 

Crap.

I didn't want to be passed. I knew I was maybe 5th at this point. She passed me. I kept her in my sites. Man, this last mile feels like forever! It shouldn't feel this way! This race is only three miles!

I knew there was a bend in the road and then I'd see the finish line. And there it was. I was also pulling back the chick who passed me. Like usual, I was obsessively looking at my watch.  There were about 10 cones leading up to the finish line, I passed the chick in the cones to finish just ahead of her.

22:36

Ok, so 6 seconds off what I was hoping for. Not bad considering I didn't run the best race. 

The RWOL girls had a nice showing. Flo was 2nd over all and won her age group. I was 5th over all and won my age group. Judy was 2nd in her age group.

My mom, 2 of my nephews, my BFF Tracy and her kid all came out to the race. That was fun. My nephews had never been to one of my races before. I took Bea to do a cool down (which wasn't enough. My legs were sore almost instantly after this race, something that rarely happens. TOO MUCH RACING). As I was jogging along, I hear this little voice behind me "I'm coming with you!!!" and I turn around and there's my 6 year old nephew, Cole, running to catch up with me. He was such a sport. I slowed down so he could run with me and the dog, I bet we did at least a half mile. When we were done, he just sat on the sidewalk and said "Man, I gotta get use to this". SO CUTE!! I hope later in the summer I can go back down and find a race that has a kids race too so he can run.

So the short of it (ok, not so short, it's taken me longer to write this than it did for me to run the race) is I'm happy with my time, I'm happy with winning my age group. I'm not too thrilled with the way I ran the race. Oh well. I dont plan on doing a whole lotta 5ks that aren't XC. 

week 2 take 2

Yesterday I finished up week 2 of official spring marathon training. So far I've learned a few things. 

1. I dont really mind running in the cold. I actually kind of like it. There are less people out and as long as I'm dressed properly, it's not so bad.

2. I still chafe. I didn't realize that body glide would be needed when it's below freezing. I still sweat like Shaq.

3. People over the age of 12 should not play kickball. Even if they're dressed like this.

I wrapped up week 2 with a 13 mile run in philly with philly running pal and internet superstar Girl In Motion. We ran on Forbidden Trail in Philly and it was great. I love running in new places, it just makes the miles fly by since I have no idea where I am. 

Loren, continuing her long run streak, did 10 with us. I was a little stiff in the hips from the aforementioned kick ball, but that didn't keep me from having a good run.

I think I'm ahead of where I was last time around.