2:05:31

NIKE HALF MARATHON
NYC
August 27, 2007
Central Park to Battery Park

As usual, I could not sleep before the race. Overwhelmed with anxiety, I sat up on Saturday night until after 1:00a.m. watching "The 40 Year Old Virgin" (how I love that movie!), my stomache burning so much I felt sure I was going to vomit. Kirk and I ate at Jake's Saloon and I had salmon, cous cous, and asparagus for dinner. Lesson: do not eat anything but pasta the night before a race. I'm sure the salmon was too much for my system to digest. Anthony (my trainer) warned me not to eat anything too complicated. How complicated is salmon, really? I guess more complicated than I thought.

When I finally got to sleep around 1:30 my stomache had settled down, but when the alarm went off at 5:00a.m. it was back to burning. I took a swig of Pepto, to no avail, ate a little pasta (which, I learned later, also not a smart move. Why did I distract from my typical ritual of dry toast before the race?), stretched, did some breathing to help my stomache, and rolled out my IT bands on the foam roller.

Alison and I met in front of the Holiday Inn at 6:00a.m, and caught a cab to 87th and 5th where we met Ciara, Marne, Jeremy, and Erin. It was overcast, probably in the high 60's - low 70's, nice and cool -- a perfect day for running as the humidity started off nice and low. It started raining pretty hard around the 7th mile, but it slowed down around mile 8 to a steady rain
instead of the torrential downpour it had been.

Kirk's the best boyfriend ever! He was in Times Square looking for me at 8:00a.m., in the rain, instead of in our very comfortable bed. He saw me and yelled my name which was fun to hear amongst the cheering crowd. Mariana also came out, balloons in hand, to cheer us on.

I lost Ciara, Jeremy, and Marne around mile 8 at a drink station. Alison disappeared after mile 4. I saw the gang (minus Alison) ahead of me for a few minutes and thought about catching up, but my stomache was cramping so much that I needed to back off. I was hanging pretty tough until mile 10 when I hit a mini "wall" and thought I was going to have to stop. Fortuantely, there was a drink station between 10 and 11 and I took advantage by grabbing a Gatorade and walking through. Once I got back to running I felt much better. Mile 12 was a little tricky: I was so ready for the race to be over by then! My feet were killing me--I think I need new shoes. My Asics have taken a beating as I've worn them for both 1/2's I've done this year, plus most of my training runs. It'd make sense that they're a bit worn out. As tired as I thought I was, as soon as I saw the finish line in the distance I kicked into high gear and crossed strong. I don't know where I found the spare energy as I ran this race faster than I've run any other half. As cramped and uncomfortable as I felt I somehow found the power to kick it in the last 800 meters.

I reconnected with everyone in Battery Park and found out that we were all within a few minutes of each other. I think Marne, Ciara, and Jeremy finished in about 2:03 or 2:04; I finished in 2:05:31; and Alison finished in 2:07:14 (I looked up our scores). So, there wasn't a huge difference between us which means we're all pretty even in terms of training. My pace was 9:34 per mile.

My goal for the race was 2:05, 9:30 pace. I can't believe I did it. I knocked 8 minutes off my fastest time. All this training is working, I guess. On to the next running adventure.

READY FOR THE HALF

71 Days to November 5
NIKE Half Marathon
Sunday, August 27
Goal: 2:05

I skipped running class due to rain. The last time I ran in the rain I got sick and I can't afford to get sick right now. Rain during the marathon will be fine. I can get sick after November 5.

It was a smart choice to take yesterday off from running (I did weights in the morning) as I was feeling pretty beat. The four miles this morning were nothing. Wow, if you'd told me two years ago that a 4 mile run would be a cake walk I'd not have believed it. Now, I look forward to the short runs because I know the long run is coming. This weekend is 13.1 miles for the NIKE Half Marathon which I'm totally psyched about. First time ever in NYC. I'm already planning how I'll get to sleep on Saturday night, as I'm anticipating serious anxiety and sleeplessness. So, I've got my Tylenol PM all ready to go and I want to be in bed by 8:00.

Kathleen massaged me Wednesday night. I wish I could afford massages every week. I was so relaxed and slept like a rock. Problem is I am not getting enough sleep. Lately, I hit the bed and I'm out which is really unusual for me as I'm prone to anxiety attacks, but these days I can't keep my eyes open for more than two minutes once I'm in bed. Yeah running!

Carb load, carb load, hydrate, hydrate. That's my mantra this week as I prepare for Sunday. I can't wait. I set a goal of finishing in 2:05, which is about 8 minutes faster than my fastest time. Why do I get nervous when I set a goal? If I don't make it it's okay, nothing bad will happen, the earth will continue to spin, the day will go on. So, why do I hesitate to make the goal, and why do I hesitate to tell anyone about it? I'm strong, I'm prepared, I'm tough. There is no reason why I should be afraid to set pace goals.

Training Week 11:

I don't feel like getting dressed. I'm finding it hard to put on nice clothes these days. Fortunately, I have a job where I can wear shorts and flip flops, but it's not like me not to want to wear a cute dress, cute shoes, cute whatever. I never go out looking awful. The hair gets done, the mascara goes on, mani / pedi -- check. Just can't seem to get it together in the wardrobe department, and I totally blame marathon training. How can I want to wear anything but comfortable clothes when my muscles are all irritable? My lower back is always a little achy, my quads are always talking to me, my feet (despite the pedi) are jacked up with blisters, peeling skin, and soreness. I'm always tired and always hungry. So, why the hell am I doing this? Why do I put myself through the early morning West Side Highway run? Why do I spend hundreds of dollars on gear, my trainer, my pt, massages?

Gotta say I've got some kick ass Tina Turner legs goin' on. I'm not losing weight, but my body is starting to look like an athelete's, and I'm totally diggin' it.

Met Alison at 7:15a.m. for a 5 mile run up the WSH. This week's been tough. Yesterday had to run 5 miles and I just wasn't in the game mentally or physically, but I plowed through. Today the only reason why I didn't die of boredom was because Alison and I talked the whole time. Plus, fighting the bicycle traffic keeps things stimulating.

This weekend: Nike 1/2 Marathon! First time ever in NYC, we'll be running the park, then through the early morning streets down to Battery Park. Is it too ambitious for me to try and beat my 2(h), 11(m) time?