Running Blues

After so many months of training for the NYC Marathon, I’ve hit a running slump. I took a week off after the race, as planned, but since then, my running has been terrible.

My motivation to get up in the wee dark hours to run has vanished. Most mornings I lie in bed for five minutes, arguing with myself about whether I’m getting up.  The fact that Elizabeth has stopped sleeping through the night hasn’t helped me, either. When I’m up with her twice in the night, the idea of waking up on purpose at 5:00 isn’t appealing.

On the mornings that I do make it out the door to run, I generally feel terrible. It’s like I’m starting from scratch, which is discouraging. Four weeks ago, I covered 26.2 miles. Three weeks before that, I ran a great 18 miles. And now I stagger through four miles.

During my scheduled week off I considered running a half marathon that’s scheduled for this weekend. Once I started back, I had to get rid of that plan. So I decided I’d run the 3M Half in early February. But now I’m thinking that might not happen either.

When I grumbled to B about all of this, he helpfully pointed out that I’m 40, not 29 like the last time I ran a marathon. Sigh.

In the meantime, I’ll keep slogging along, hoping that at some point my body will remember what it’s supposed to be doing.

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Today is the last day to enter my Can of Worms Giveaway. Winners will be announced tomorrow.

NYC Marathon Report

I finished!

My time wasn't what I had hoped, but I don't care. I've fulfilled a long-time dream, AND I finished smiling.

I knew from the get-go that it was not going to be a good race. I spent too long shivering at the start, and my legs were dead before I even started running. It also took two miles for my toes to thaw out so that I could feel them.

Once I got going I was able to settle in with 9:30-9:40 miles, which is right where I wanted to be. I held that pace comfortably through the first ten miles, despite the hills in Brooklyn - and Brooklyn seemed to be ALL uphill.

Things got ugly at the half-way mark. I ran a 2:10 half, which is slower than I've ever run a half marathon, and that just deflated me. My legs ankles and knees were killing me, and I still had at least 2 1/2 hours of running to go.

That's when I started walking. Mile 15 was on the Queensborough Bridge, and that was the lowest point of the marathon. The bridge has a long, long uphill approach, which I walked. The bridge itself was just grim. We were running on the lower level, with trains running overhead. It was dark and noisy and dirty, and there was no crowd support. I started thinking that I was going to have to walk the rest of the way. And then mean little voices in my head started thinking about what everyone would say if I walked the second half or if I dropped out. I did my best to ignore those little voices, but they just kept going. I had been wearing a pace chart on my wrist, and I ripped it off on the bridge in disgust.

Once I turned on to First Avenue, things got better. I put on my shuffle, and the first song to play was U2's "Elevation," which is one of my favorites. Listening to music also made it easier to ignore the voices of doubt. Plus the crowds on First Avenue were amazing; at times they were four and five people deep.

I walked more, but at mile 17 it became obvious that it hurt LESS for me to run than it did to walk. So I adjusted my stride and plugged along.

At mile 20 I started to enjoy myself again. I knew I was going to finish, and while I was walking now and then, I was mostly running. And the closer I got to the park, the more I knew I was about to fulfill my dream.

Running along Fifth Avenue and through the Park was just amazing. The crowds were insane. I managed to pass the guy dressed like a rhinoceros and the girl dressed like a chicken. I just could not let them beat me.

I loved being running through the Park and seeing the Metropolitan Museum, the Boathouse, Belvedere Castle and the Obelisk. One woman in the crowd was holding a sign that said "YOUR ONLY FUCKING CHOICE IS TO FINISH," which got a big cheer from all the runners.

I started getting weepy on Central Park South and on the last turn into the Park. I had watched the marathon on TV for so many years and seen runners take this turn, and there I was, running the same route. In the last point two miles, I passed the miner from Chile and gave him a big cheer.

My official time was 5:06 and change, an hour slower than I had hoped. But I'll take it. I left everything I had out on the course. There was nothing left in my tank when I finished.

I have so much more to write about the race - all the amazing things I saw and people I met - but I'll save that post for another day.

Starting to panic

So I may have mentioned a few (or 20 or 30) times that I’m running the ING New York City Marathon this Sunday. In a mere 48 hours, I’ll be on my way to the airport, and yesterday I began to freak the frack out. Not because of the race – I’ve done the work for that; all I need to do now is show up at the starting line – but because of what I need to do at home before I leave. I’ve begun making lists and checking items off.

Here’s just part of my list:

1. Buy Cliff Shots and Cliff bars for race day – check
2. Buy inexpensive sweats to wear to the start and discard as I run – check
3. Pick out and wash race-day clothes – check
4. Pick playlists for the race and sync my iPod shuffle – check
5. Select knitting projects for the trip - nope
6. Buy a few new tops to wear on the trip - nope
7. Leave detailed instructions of what needs to happen each day for B – nope
8. Leave signed waiver and birthday present for Lily to take to a birthday party – nope
9. Buy groceries for while I’m gone – nope
10. Set out Lily’s ballet clothes so she and B can find them Saturday morning - nope
11. Wash, fold and put away laundry so the family won’t go naked while I’m gone – nope
12. Clean the house so it’s not extra disgusting when I get home – nope

Just looking at this list and the undone items makes my stomach hurt. B keeps reassuring me that he does in fact know where the grocery store and washing machine are, but I feel this ridiculous sense of obligation to make sure everything is as taken care of as possible before I leave.

For the next two days, I’ll be frantically cleaning, folding and shopping. Or I might just become so paralyzed by it all that I do nothing but sit on the sofa and stare into space. It could go either way.

I’m starting to panic

So, the ING New York Marathon is a mere 15 days away. I leave in 13 days. And I am starting to freak the heck out.

Why?

Because I haven’t run since Monday.

I had my great 18-mile run on Saturday, took Sunday off, and had a horrible, rotten, miserable run on Monday. I wrote it down as a hang-over run from Saturday. But then on Tuesday I woke up with a fever. I finally caught whatever illness the kids have been sharing for the past two weeks.

I started mega-dosing on Vitamin C and sleeping as much as I could given the fact that I had a huge work load this week, not to mention four kids who get upset if I don’t feed them. B was great about sending me to bed early most nights and taking care of bedtime solo, which is no small task.

By Thursday I was feeling better and had every intention of doing a short run Friday morning and then a 12-miler on Saturday.

But then I went in for a check-up with my pulmonologist. I have asthma, which is mostly under control, but I still need to go and let him listen to my lungs every once in a while. During my appointment, he asked if I wanted a flu shot, and I said yes. Then he recommended I get a pneumonia shot. I’m at higher risk for pneumonia due to my asthma, so I said yes. The nurse gave me the injection in my right arm.

Big mistake. Huge mistake. Ginormous mistake.

By Thursday night, I couldn’t raise my right arm without horrible pain, and all the lymph nodes in my right armpit were inflamed. Friday morning I woke up again with a fever and all-over body aches, and the pain in my right arm had spread to my shoulder and back. I felt like I had the flu.

Elizabeth and Campbell had check-ups Friday morning, so turned into one of those patients and asked our pediatrician about the pneumonia vaccine. He confirmed that what I was feeling was a side-effect of the shot and said that I’d probably feel miserable for 48 hours.

son.of.a.bitch

I cancelled running for this morning and crawled off to bed as early as I could.

This morning I woke up with my right shoulder completely locked up and continued flu-like symptoms.

And now I’m starting to panic. I haven’t run since Monday, and that was a terrible run. I need to run this weekend, but unless I wake up feeling miraculously better, tomorrow’s run isn’t going to happen. I’m worried that my fitness level for the marathon is disappearing by the minute. My training was sketchy as it was – I don’t have any fitness to spare.

This is not good.

With a little help from my friends

According to my self-imposed training schedule for the NYC Marathon, I was scheduled for 16 miles this morning. I was dreading it a little bit, especially after having the wheels come off last weekend. I really, really didn't want to run endless miles alone in the dark again.

But then my wonderful running friends saved the day.

One e-mailed and said she'd meet me at 5:45 for my first few miles. And then Liz from Peace, Love and Guacamole volunteered to show up for the early shift, too. I ended up getting to the Trail early, so I ran a warm-up mile before meeting up with Liz and J. Then the three of us set off on the four-mile loop. It was just so lovely to be running with friends and having people to talk to. I didn't even notice as the miles went by.

We got back to the start of the Trail at 6:30, and Liz headed for home. But J and I were joined by several other friends, and we headed out for the five-mile loop. We were running east as the sun was coming up, and the Austin skyline looked so beautiful with its bright orange backdrop. And again, I didn't even notice the miles.

When we got back to the start of the Trail, it was filled with lots and lots of runners dressed in yellow in honor of Livestrong Day. After saying chatting with friends for a few minutes, I grabbed gatorade and gu and started my final six miles solo.

I really didn't mind being alone for the last bit of the run. In fact, I preferred it that way. I knew I would be slowing down and walking here and there, and I didn't want to have to worry about keeping up with anyone. So I popped on my iPod and enjoyed my run.

Having company for the first 10 miles got me through the toughest part of the run - the part where the little voices in my head start telling me that I'm not going to make it and that I am crazy for even attempting such a thing. By the time I only had six miles left, I knew I had the run in the bag, and I could ignore the voices.

After I finished, I stopped at a quickie mart for some grapefruit juice and headed home to an empty, silent house. B and the big three are camping for the weekend, and Elizabeth spent the night with my mother-in-law. I was able to take an hour-long nap in peace and quiet.

This was one of those mornings that makes me really love my friends, running, Austin and life in general.

And then the wheels came off

After last Saturday’s great 14 mile run, I was looking forward to an easy 10 this morning. I started off really well, too. I headed out at 5:30 to run the Windsor Loop, which is probably my favorite route. The moon was still up, providing plenty of light, and while it was humid, it wasn’t hot. I felt really strong through the whole run, even on the hills. Life was good.

But then I got back to the Trail, and things went downhill. I grabbed a drink from the car and this gooey energy gel – it’s time for me to start experimenting with eating on my longer runs – and waited for running friends to show up. My plan was to hop in with the group for part of whatever their run was. But no one showed up.

So I trudged off by myself, muttering about how tired I am of running by myself in the dark on the Trail, choosing not to remember that it’s my own damn fault I’m by myself because I opted not to join any of the training groups in town. I had decided to do at least three more miles before calling it a day.

But after half a mile, the wheels just came off, and I fell apart, physically and mentally. My stomach cramped up enough that I was doubled over on the side of the Trail. That’s when I decided to turn around and head for the car.

It really shouldn’t surprise me that the run was a disaster. I had a terrible migraine last night, one that involved wicked visual distortions and throwing up, which meant I didn’t eat any dinner to speak of. I also slept terribly. I had actually turned off my alarm, but I woke up at 5:00 anyway, so I headed out for the run.

I know I could have slogged along and finished out the distance, but it just didn’t seem worth it this morning. Some days, knowing when to stop is a victory. I’m just glad this didn’t happen with one of my “long” runs. Next Saturday I’m scheduled to do 16 miles, and I have to get the wheels back on by then.

Noticeably Stronger

Despite last week's cheerful post about my changed goals and expectations for the NYC Marathon, I have been a bit concerned about being able to even complete the distance. Two weeks ago, I did 12 miles and was pretty much reduced to a shuffle during the last mile; there was no way I could have run any further. Since then, I've worried that maybe the miles I logged on the treadmill all summer hadn't counted in some strange way.

I headed out at 5:30 this morning with the goal of running 14 miles, nervous about what would happen when I hit mile 12 - would I fall apart like two weeks ago?

I did hit the wall at mile 12, but I pushed through and was able to finish strong. I wasn't setting any land-speed records, but I wasn't shuffling either. I ran the last half mile with a friend and was able to chat with her as we went. Unlike two weeks ago, I could have run another mile without too much of a problem. But I stuck to my plan and stopped when I was supposed to.

It was the first time I've really noticed an increase in my fitness level. I have proof that my training is working. Yay!

It's not about the race

I guess I should say it's not just about the race. Back in April, when I got my NYC Marathon race number, this whole crazy scheme was mostly about running a marathon. But as the months have passed, my goals and plans and expectations have changed dramatically, and for the better.

My goal for the marathon isn't to run it fast, because I know that it's just not possible. The summer heat and my limited training hours make it highly unlikely that I'm going to run anything resembling a pr. But instead of beating myself up about it or being worried about my time, I'm focused on enjoying the experience. This may be my only chance to run NYC, so I'm going to make sure I soak in the whole thing - from fireworks in Central Park the night before the race to the massive staging area on Staten Island to the post-race party by the Tavern on the Green. My goal is to run the marathon with a smile on my face the whole way.

The side benefits from my training have been tremendous. While I'm not in great marathoning shape, I am in pretty good running shape. I knocked out 8 miles this morning despite terrible humidity and a stomach bug on Thursday morning that wiped me out.

For the first time in more than four years, I feel like I can legitimately refer to myself as a runner, and that is a huge confidence boost for me. Running has been a major part of my life for 15 years, and I'm thrilled that I'm back to running on a regular basis and putting in some serious miles on the weekends.

I'm also in better shape than I've been in since before I was pregnant with Campbell. I finally have my body back after a decade of pregnancy and nursing, and it's a good feeling. Instead of not admitting my age, I've been proudly telling people I'm 40. I think I look and feel pretty darn good for my age.

During our run this morning, one my friends asked if I was glad I'd taken on this quest, and my answer was an immediate and unequivocal YES. Despite my occasional bouts of self-doubt, training for NYC is the best possible gift I could have given myself for my birthday.

Plus, the trip to New York is going to be awesome. I'm going with two of my best friends, and we're staying at the corner of 80th and Columbus, right across the street from the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History, so I'll be spending my free time stalking Neil deGrasse Tyson, my favorite astro-physicist. I'm going to make my required pilgrimages to the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park, my two favorite places in the city. I'm going to see fireworks in Central Park the night before the race, and I'm going to see PeeWee's Playhouse on Broadway. Plus I'm working on plans to meet up with a couple of cool bloggers while I'm there.

It's going to be an amazing trip, even if it does involve an insane amount of running. And no matter what happens during the race, the journey has been great so far.

Ugly in the middle

This morning my goal was to run 12 miles. The weather people had been talking all week about how a "cold front" was going to hit late Friday night and the temperatures Saturday morning would be in the mid-sixties. Bliss! So I decided to run down at the Trail instead of suffering for hours on the treadmill.

My plan was to run three laps of the four-mile loop down at the Trail. I started my first loop at 5:40 so that I'd be back at the start to meet the running chicks at 6:30. Halfway through the first loop, I knew I was in trouble. The cold front still hadn't hit, and the temps were in the mid-seventies and it was still fairly humid. The best way I can describe it is clammy. As I struggled along, all the voices of doubt cranked up, tell me I'd never make the distance.

I finished my first loop and headed out with the chicks for my middle one. And after half a mile of running with them, I came to a dead stop in the middle of the Trail with a side stitch. I stood there muttering, watching my friends disappear in the distance.

After a few seconds, I turned around and headed for my car, disgusted enough with myself and running that I was ready to throw my shoes in the lake and never run again. But after about 10 feet, I turned back around, determined to at least run the three-mile loop and do seven instead of 12. But then I turned around again with the idea of going to the gym and running eight miles on the treadmill. And then I turned around again, gave myself a little lecture about nutting up and just getting on with it, and started running.

Anyone watching would have thought I was insane - this sweaty, grubby, wheezing woman walking in circles and muttering under her breath.

I caught back up with one friend, who had stopped to wait for me, and staggered to the halfway point of the loop. As we were headed back on the second half, other friends, who had gone a bit longer, caught up with us. I managed to run with them for about a mile before the side stitch hit again, and I had to walk.

After I staggered to the end of the second loop, I went to my car and took a few swigs of Gatorade and headed back to the Trail. I said my farewells to my friends and trudged on my way.

Turns out the third loop was the best of the bunch. The front had come through and the humidity had dropped, if not the temperatures, and I felt a lot better. Plus I knew I had to finish, so all the doubts and worries that I had going through my head during my first two laps had disappeared.

The last mile was hard, but it was hard in an "I've just run 12 miles" way, not an "I hate running, I'm never doing this again" way.

I finished feeling much better about running and life and this whole crazy scheme of mine. I managed to keep going and finish the distance despite weather and despite the chorus of voices in my head telling me to stop because it was too hard, which counts as a huge victory in my book.

And the best part of the morning was when I got home to find that my husband had cooked up a mess of bacon, eggs and home fries. It was just what I needed after all those miles.

And now for a long, long nap.

Running on Empty

Despite my lack of posts on the topic, I am still training for the NYC Marathon in November. But I've hit a bit of a low point with my running. I'm not as far along as I'd like in terms of my long runs, and I'm so, so tired of running in the gym.

Last week I went to the gym with the goal of running 12 miles. I had my iPhone loaded with a movie - "Babies" is beyond cute, and no one gets eaten! - and lots of podcasts. I even got set up on a treadmill in front of a TV tuned to a good channel. I did really well through 9 miles, and then I got hit with horrible stomach cramps. If I had been running outside, I would have had to walk it out and still finish the distance. But at mile 10.5, I gave up both physically and mentally.

When I talk to running friends about my concerns, they remind me that I still have time and say that I shouldn't get anxious about it. They also remind me that given my time constraints, I'm actually doing well to run as much as I am.

But it still doesn't help.

I really, really need the weather to turn so that I can get back to running outside and ramp up my mileage.

This morning I intended to run outside, but when I walked out and felt the temperature - 82 degrees at 5:30 - and the humidity, I grabbed my keys and headed to the gym. In an effort to keep myself amused, I ran 20 minutes of a preprogrammed hill routine and then 20 minutes of race pace, for a total of 4.5 miles. I definitely felt the workout, but it just wasn't the same as running the Windsor Loop with friends.

I know that if I can just get through this low point, I'll be fine. So I'm plugging along, hoping for cooler weather.

NYC Marathon Training - Three Months to Go!

Oh lord, how is it possible that I only have three month of training left? I should be running much farther than I am, but heat, humidity and life keep getting in my way. The good news is that I am finally jumping up my mileage for my "long" runs. The bad news is that my weekly mileage still isn't where I'd like it to be. And the other good news is that Elizabeth is sleeping past 5:30 each morning, which means I can get back to running without having to push her in the jogger.

• Monday - 4 miles with Elizabeth in the jogger
• Wednesday - 2 miles with Elizabeth in the jogger (felt awful due to humidity)
• Friday - 7.5 miles on the treadmill. Felt strong the whole way and was able to push the pace for the last two miles. And I got home to find all the kids still asleep!

I've already started this week off on the right foot - I ran four miles outside without Elizabeth, which made a huge difference in how I felt. The humidity was still awful, but I didn't die quite as much as usual.

NYC Marathon Training - 18 weeks to go

Last week I wrote that I had my running mojo back, and I'm still feeling that way. I can now call myself a "runner" and not feel like a poser. Running at the gym really has reinforced that I am in decent running shape and that my problems really are all humidity related.

• Tuesday - 4 miles, with Elizabeth. I tried out a new route, which I like. I'd also like the chance to run it without pushing Elizabeth.
• Thursday - 5.25 miles, at the gym. It was so humid that the windows at the gym were completely fogged over. I was able to push hard on the last mile, which felt good.
• Saturday - 5 miles, Windsor Loop. The Windsor Loop is one of my favorites - it's got a challenging number of hills in it. I had to walk a few times because I was wheezing, but I still finished strong. The humidity was terrible. I sweated so much that my shoes are still damp.

Even though I only ran three times, it was still a good running week for me. I'm starting to feel like just maybe I'll be able to pull of this crazy stunt.

NYC Marathon Training - 19 weeks to go

I'm still not anywhere as far along in my training as I'd like to be, but I'm feeling better about things. Running at the gym, as boring as it may be, really is helping me. Knocking out four miles without a problem reassures me that I am in running shape and that it really is the heat and humidity that are killing me.

• Tuesday - 4: Loops in the neighborhood with Elizabeth
• Wednesday - 3ish: at the track with L
• Friday - 4.25: at the gym. I walked outside to head down to the Trail with the running chicks, felt the humidity, and went straight to the gym
• Sunday - 3.5: Loops in the neighborhood with Elizabeth
• Total - 14.75

I'm keeping on, keeping on.

NYC Marathon Training - Week Whatever

Not a lot of running this week, but I still feel like I've gotten my running mojo back. I did something this week I never thought I'd ever do - I joined a gym. One of the things I love about running is the simpleness of it - you put on running shoes and walk out the door. So going to a gym and paying to run on a treadmill just seems wrong to me.

But.

I've done it. There's a great gym a mile from the the house that's incredibly cheap - $10 a month - and that is about as bare bones as it gets. It's got dozens of treadmills and good weight equipment. It's brightly lit and clean. It is not fancy. It doesn't have classes or trainers or spa services. It's exactly what I need.

I ran there this week and knocked out 45 minutes without a problem, proving that the problems I'm having with running really are related to the heat and humidity.

• Monday - 4 miles hiking in Colorado. I know it wasn't running, but I'm still counting the mileage. Ella and I spent more than 2 hours hiking at 7,000 feet. It was as good an aerobic workout as I've had in a long, long time.
• Thursday - 4.6 miles on the treadmill at the gym.
• Sunday - 4.3 miles with Elizabeth in the jogger. I've finally allowed myself to embrace walking when I need to instead of beating myself up over it. It was 80 degrees with 100 percent humidity, so I walked when I needed to. I finished the run feeling pretty solid instead of miserable.

Total - 12.9 miles

Just what the doctor ordered

It's not an exaggeration to say that the past few weeks around here have been particularly rough. And after weeks of illness, injury and multiple ER trips, I was about at the end of my rope. I had stopped eating, which is what I do when I'm stressed. I was worn out emotionally, mentally and physically. I spent most of last week counting down the days until Ella and I left for Colorado, trying not to worry about leaving the little three with B, who is still on crutches AND buried in work.

The trip was just what I needed to pull myself back together. Traveling with Ella was a breeze. She carried her own backpack at the airport and kept herself entertained on the plane, allowing me to read and knit. Once we were in Colorado, she was laid back and easy going and didn't complain or misbehave. At the comp, she was off doing her own thing with her coach, so I had lots of time to knit and hang out with the other parents.

I ate well the whole time, probably a little too well, and slept like a rock each night. Even though the weather was cool and rainy, it was a treat for me. Given that we are heading into the miserable summer heat and humidity that wears me out, spending four days bundled into jeans and sweatshirts was wonderful. Even running in the cold and rain felt good. It's going to be months before I can do that again.

I came home to a mountain of laundry, sticky floors, and a ton of work, but it all feels manageable. The four days of rest and the change of scenery, not to mention the break from tantrums, squabbles and dirty diapers, did me a world of good.

NYC Training Week 9

For the third week in a row, my running has been abysmal. But given the week we had - 4 ER trips, 24 hours at Children's Hospital - I guess it's a miracle that I ran at all.

• Monday - 3.5 with Elizabeth. Held 9 min. miles even though I was pushing the jogger.
• Friday - 2 miles, solo. Miserable, awful. Walked the last quarter mile
• Saturday - 3 miles at the Trail. Miserable, awful. Walked/ran the last mile.

The heat and humidity are giving me such problems that I'm thinking of joining a gym, just so I can run on a treadmill indoors once or twice a week. Running outside just isn't working for me, and I'm starting to feel the pressure of the looming race.

NYC Training Week 8

Last week's word was Discouraged, and this week's was Barf. As in everyone in the house except for Ella barfed this week. There's been a stomach bug going around town, and we all caught it, myself included.

I chose not to run on Monday, because I'd run on Sunday and felt terrible, so I gave myself a day of rest.

Campbell started throwing up Monday afternoon, and he was just so pitiful. It's the sickest he's ever been.

I didn't run Tuesday because I'd been up and down with Campbell a lot in the night, and I have a rule about not getting up at the crack of dawn to run if I've been woken up more than twice in the night.

Wednesday I ran with Elizabeth in the jogger and had a great run. I went out at 8:00, and the humidity wasn't as bad as it had been the past week. I actually felt like I was running rather than just staggering along. I was even able to finish with a good kick, especially how miserable I'd felt the previous week.

Thursday I woke up feeling puny. I managed to get the big girls off to school before collapsing in bed, which is where I spent the entire day, when I wasn't curled up on the bathroom floor.

I didn't run Friday or Saturday because I still felt miserable, and I'm taking today off, too. I'm hoping to feel well enough tomorrow to get out there and run a few mile. I'm anxious to run again given that I did have one good run this week in between all the barfing.

NYC Training Week 7

The word for last week is Discouraged. As in, I am so discouraged with my running that I want to quit. The humidity is killing me, and I feel like I'm going backwards fitness-wise. I have 23 weeks until the marathon, and at the rate I'm going, I'm not sure it's long enough.

• Tuesday - 4 in the neighborhood
• Wednesday - 3.5 with 4 circuits
• Friday - 3.5 worst run yet
• Sunday - 3 with Elizabeth, and this was the worst run yet. I bailed on the rest of my run and walked the last half mile. My legs turned to complete noodles.

I didn't even make it down to the Trail to run with the girls this week, which is both good and bad. Bad because I love running with the group and seeing my friends. Good because of how dreadfully I'm running. They'd have dropped me within the first mile, and I'd spend the rest of the run feeling grumpy and slow.

I'm supposed to join a training group in July for the marathon, and I'd hoped to be in better shape by now in preparation for the group.

I'm just discouraged.

NYC Training Week 6

This week my confidence in my ability to successfully train for a marathon through the long, hot summer took a real hit. The humidity has kicked in, and I just cannot breathe. My legs feel fine; I'm definitely strong enough to up my mileage on my "long" runs, but until I can actually breathe, there's no way I'm going to be able to run farther.

Despite my struggles with humidity, this week's mileage is the highest I've gone since I started training. Go figure.

• Monday - 3, with Elizabeth in the jogger, which should count for double. I also ran at 9:30 am, which made it extra miserable.
• Wednesday - 3.5, again, with Elizabeth in the jogger.
• Friday - 5 at the Trail. If my friend S hadn't hung back with me, I would have walked the last 2 miles out of sheer frustration. I was gasping for air at times.
• Sunday - 3, yet again, with Elizabeth. I don't usually run on Sundays, but I couldn't run on Saturday because of a thunderstorm and Ella's climbing comp. It was a nice morning, so I decided to log a few miles.

Total - 14.5

I know I'll adapt to the humidity. I've done it before. But it's going to be a miserable few weeks while I adjust.

On the plus side, I have housing for the marathon arranged. Two of my closest friends are going with me, and one of them loves planning trips and researching places to stay. So she gave herself the job of finding someplace on the Upper West Side that's affordable. She's booked us a cool apartment right near the finish line. I can't wait!

NYC Training Week 4

This was kind of an off week, mileage-wise. But the miles I ran were quality ones. I didn't get to run on Saturday because B and Ella were off in Houston for a climbing comp (she tied for first in her division, BTW).

• Monday - 3 with Elizabeth in the jogger, which should count for extra miles
• Wednesday - 4.2 in the neighborhood. It was the BEST run I've had in two years. The weather was perfect, and I felt great. I pushed the last quarter mile just to see how hard I could go.
• Friday - 5 at the Trail with the running chicks. I ran the 4-mile loop and then tacked on another mile. It was miserably warm and humid, so I'm particularly proud of myself for running the extra mile. It was awfully tempting to just head to the car, where I had gatorade waiting for me.

Total of 12.2

I'm a bit worried about my left foot. The top of it is swollen and tender to the touch, but there's no bruise. I'm concerned that I may have a stress fracture starting. So it's probably good that I didn't get to run yesterday. I'll see how it feels when I run tomorrow and make plans from there.