Marathon Inspiration – The Final Edition (!!!!)

By ellen on November 3, 2011

Ummm, whoa.

For the last several weeks, I’ve been looking to NYC Marathon vids for a little extra inspiration and motivation to get me through training. Now (already?!), it’s the last 3 days before the big day.

And while I’ve been watching and re-watching them more times than I care to admit (especially this one), at this point I need to just focus on the finish line. I’m heading to the expo tonight to pick up my bib, mingle with other runners, and buy totally unnecessary goods. I pretty much can’t wait. It’ll be a nice outlet for all of the energy and excitement that’s been coursing through me.

This is also the point where I need to get sappy and introspective and realize that all the inspiration and motivation is inside me (it’s been there all along! Just like in the Wizard of Oz! Amazing, haha). Really though, there were shortcomings in my training, but overall I’m pretty happy with it and am thoroughly excited to get things started on Sunday.

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The End is Near

By ellen on October 31, 2011

(Source: Funny Marathon Posters)

It’s the beginning of the end (of my last week of marathon training, that is). Oh, and happy Halloween.

So what do I do in the last 6 days before I run the biggest marathon in the world (eeek!)?

  1. Stay healthy. No injuries, no illness. I guess all I can really do here is eat well and not do anything out of the ordinary. And for some reason I’m telling myself that wearing jeans to work for most of the week will help, haha…
  2. Keep my legs loose. A few easy runs, nothing major. I plan to run 4-6 miles on Tuesday and maybe Thursday, and a 20 minute shake-out on Saturday.
  3. Eat well and hydrate. I already drink tons of water – I’ll try to maintain or drink a little more. Tasty and healthy meals are already planned and cooked for the week. And while I said at the beginning of the taper I wasn’t going to booze during the taper (lies, all lies… and failed on multiple occasions), I will hold up that deal this final week. (Famous last words).
  4. SLEEP. Lots and lots of sleep. Luckily, this is never really an issue for me. It just helps me to justify going to bed by 9:30 every night. Seriously.
  5. Try to contain my overwhelming excitement. This is easier said than done. I’m trying to give myself one fun marathon-related activity to do per day. Hopefully that will be enough to hold me over until the weekend. Or at least until the Expo.
So for these activities… yesterday’s? Buying my marathon shirt, letters, and ironing them on. It was a great success!
Getting soooo close it’s scary!

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NYC Marathon Training Week 15: Training Extremes

By ellen on October 30, 2011

I’m writing this in the midst of NYC’s Snowtober. And when I think back on my training season, it seems only fitting that my last week would end in a freak snow storm… considering it started in an insane heat wave (remember?).

Marathon training is always interesting. You start off with a plan and at some points you’re right on target and at other points you’re way off. There are weeks when you are confident and can’t wait to bound out the door to log miles and some days when you can’t will yourself to get out of bed to lace up your shoes. There are workouts when you have all the confidence in the world, and others when you doubt yourself incredibly.

This is all part of the training process. The marathon is the exact same way.

The marathon is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. I’ll be comfortable during the grueling miles thinking back to my tough workouts (I’m looking at you). There will be miles when I’m riding high.

This time next week – at 10:10 – I’ll be heading off on the course. Right now? I can’t wait. I’m starting to slowly feel my unbridled excitement turn a little nervous, which is fine. I have some fun marathon prep activities on my agenda, so that should help.

Today? Last long run (only 10 miles!). Next Sunday? The big dance, haha.

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I’m A Runner

By ellen on October 29, 2011

Pretty much since I started officially training for the marathon (or probably even before that) it was all I could really talk about. I made a concerted effort to not talk about it too much in front of non-runner friends (I figured I would seem like a total bore), and I think I did a pretty good job.

That said, this video is hilarious. And totally hits close to home. Enjoy, runners!

Sound familiar to you too??

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And in other news, it’s Snowtober! A Snowpocalypse! Occupy Snowstorm! (Any others I missed?) here in NYC. Luckily, the only important day coming up still looks like this:

Let’s hope it stays that way. Oh right, and a week from right now it’ll be the night before the marathon. NBD.

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Marathon Inspiration – T-minus 9 days Edition

By ellen on October 27, 2011

With only 9 days left until the marathon (finally in single-digit territory!), my marathon inspiration for the week is more of a laundry list of things that are getting me (even more) psyched for the big day.

  1. Marathon signs are up on First Ave!
  2. Bleachers are up in the park!
  3. The hilarious and awesome responses from friends and family we’ve gotten from “The Marathon email”
  4. The awesome lady who randomly and excitedly yelled to me last night during my tempo run, “Are you running the marathon?!?” Indeed.
  5. Having all my lesson plans and handouts done through the week following the marathon (this. is. huge.)
  6. Signs all over the subway
  7. The countdown ticker on the marathon website is finally in the single digits… not that I’ve been checking it hourly or anything.
  8. This run
  9. Thinking of all the gratuitous marathon gear I’ll buy from the expo next week
  10. Reading A Race Like No Other (awesome) and timing it so I’ll conveniently finish the night before the marathon
What are you psyched for – marathon or otherwise?

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NYC Marathon Training Week 14: Taking It Easy

By ellen on October 23, 2011

This is the “holyshitthemarathonisXdaysaway” portion of the training cycle. And to be more specific, it’s 13 days away. And even more precise?

It’s even in the Accuweather 15-day forecast (sunny and 54, for now – let’s hope it stays that way).

Sunny and 54 was about perfect on Saturday when I sorta ran the last 10 miles of the course. I say sorta because I started at Queensboro Plaza so I could run the bridge. I also lopped off the Bronx by running across 124th to Marcus Garvey Park. Nothing against the Bronx, haha, I certainly run there often enough, I just didn’t want to cross the bridge (under construction).

So the run? Pure beauty. I expected it to be jammed with other runners doing the same thing, but I was surprised to find that wasn’t the case. There were several large groups on the Q’boro (who all seemed to be running in the wrong direction), but once on First Ave, there were only maybe 4-5 other runners I saw. I was thrilled to see all the marathon banners up on First. It’s also fun to think of a 10-miler as an easy relatively short run, haha.

Before I knew it, l was heading down Fifth Ave. It’s funny to me that I hadn’t run any of this route since I ran the marathon in 2008. I remember that year how incredibly pretty it looked on 5th Ave with all the colorful leaves like a canopy over the street (whoa, Garth, that was a haiku). I was also reminded that this was the exact place where the wheels fell off and shit got real, hah. Remembering so vividly how much I hurt at that point in the marathon (like a 4″ nail was being driven through my heel) was bittersweet. I know that things can happen in the marathon that you can’t always predict.

I also know, however, that my training this year was far better than it was in 2008. It certainly wasn’t perfect and the last few weeks have unfortunately fallen short, but I’m so much better prepared physically and mentally for this race.

And that feels awesome.

So what do the next 13 days hold for me? Well, tons of excitement, natch. I’m starting A Race Like No Other tonight – which by my scientific calculations means I can read about 2 chapters a night and finish the night before the marathon. I’m also just about ready to finalize my race day outfit – I’ll obviously be ironing my name a few days before the race. Lots of delicious and healthy food. Yes, I’ve planned and made almost all of my meals for the week already. Oh, and no booze (but don’t worry, I practically siphoned enough malbec into my system last night to last the next 2 weeks).

And I’m definitely getting REALLY excited hearing friends/family get excited to come and watch.

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NYC Marathon Training Week 13: Taper Time!

By ellen on October 17, 2011

The long awaited taper has begun. I’m now 21 days out from the NYC Marathon.

This week was a tough one – I was sick and had a crazy work week, but it came together in the end (mostly).

I had off on Monday for Columbus Day, so I took advantage by doing my speed work on the track that day. I was fighting a little head cold and felt it the whole time. The workout was 10x400m repeats with 400m RI. I ran well – coming in much faster than the prescribed times, but felt awful the whole time (sorry about the snot rockets, Baker’s Field…)

The rest of the week was a wash for me with looong work days and a cold, but I got it together for the 20-miler on Saturday. It was ridiculous, and it turned out to be a bit disjointed (more of a 17+3), but I got the miles in and am ready to taper.

I’m thoroughly looking forward to a 10-mile “long” run next weekend. Hitting the last 10-ish of the course (but cutting off the Bx).

Happy Taper!

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Against the Wind

By ellen on October 15, 2011

I was psyched to run my last long run before the taper today. Well, I was psyched to complete it and start the taper. I was not as excited to actually run it.

I had a bit of a cold most of the week, and didn’t feel so hot last night. Nevertheless, I got up this morning to give it a go. Worst case scenario I could finish it (or re-run it) tomorrow. It was basically this exact run again. The plan was to run all the way down the Greenway, around Battery Park to Brooklyn Bridge, then run up to the Manhattan Bridge, over it, then all the way to the A train at Canal so I could jump on and go home. Complicating this a bit was the fact that I needed to be in the Bronx by 12:30 to coach a cross-country meet.

The first 5 miles were rough. It was insanely windy and I just wasn’t into it, haha. It got worse when I realized that the bulk of this run (at least all the way to Battery Park) would be against the wind. Eff. I did pick up my running buddy, though, which REALLY helped the whole situation.

It was insanely windy, which killed my butt and hamstrings (I’m looking at you, gale-force winds in Battery Park City). Once we approached the Brooklyn Bridge, I realized that I’d be cutting it close to get home and changed before the XC meet, so I bailed after the bridge and came home from High Street.

Getting home, I took a quick rinse in the shower, changed into clean running clothes, and headed out the door to the meet. But not before eating a gingerbread cookie the size of my head and making a pb+j for the road (although I certainly knew these would only be a drop in the bucket that was my incredible hunger).

At the meet I ran bit, then took a 2 mile runmute home. The first of those two miles felt like death. Everything hurt. Like, everything. Then I loosened up and felt fine.

FINALLY done my 20 miles. 2 outfits and roughly 8 hours later… but done.

Bring the taper.

T-minus 21 days to go!!

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