NYC: Weeks 12, 13 & 14

The New York City Marathon will be my eighth running event this year.  Eight...  Ocho...  Whoa...

It will be the third marathon.  Combine that with two 10k's, one 10 miler, a 7k, and a half marathon and it might appear to some that I've become an addict.  I know, thanks to my Garmin, that those races plus training and recreational runs total 119 runs spanning 894 miles for an average of about 7.5 miles per run.  And its October.  Depending how much I run after New York, I might break 1000 miles this year.

The last three weeks were filled with some ups and downs caused both by running and outside factors that affected my plan.  Some of the downs were self-inflicted, which makes it easier to figure out who to blame.  I leave for New York in a few days, not really sure where I stand but taking solace that I am not going there to try to get another PR.  More on that below.

Week 12 was fantastic.  Where I otherwise would have had a long run on Sunday, I backed off a bit during the week and ran the Fans on the Field 10k on Saturday, October 10.  I was not planning to set a 10k PR, but I felt great and ended up shattering it by 2:22 by running a 6:56/mile pace.

On the road for most of Week 13, I got a total of 13 miles in but then thanks to some bad planning, bad luck, and bad decisions I got sick and wasn't able to complete my last long run of 20 miles on Sunday.  I was feeling pretty low for that and lots of other reasons and it affected (and is still affecting) my confidence.  However, I can change it...I can only vow to not repeat it.  Any of it.



Central Park, New York City



Week 14 should have been the first week of my three-week taper, but I had to get that 20-miler in or I would have gone crazy.  Even though it meant two-week taper, I'm glad I did because it was a grunt and I was a bit sore for a couple days.  As long as I allow my body to heal a bit and help it as much as I can, that extra endurance could be the difference between enjoying my run on November 7th and contemplating a jump into the East River.

 Most of all, I am lucky to have my support team coming with me.  My girls are the best - and although I know we are all going to love New York, my guess is that they probably would love it more if we were going there purely for fun and not because I was running the marathon.  Of course, they may end up at Bloomie's and I'll see them sometime after the race is over!  :)  But just knowing they are there is what got me through my first marathon in the desert in January...and to my PR in San Diego in June...and will no doubt power me out of the Bronx and into Central Park in ten days.

Not to get too far ahead of myself, but I'm registered for Boston on April 18, and I now have my travel and airfare arranged.  Training starts on December 27.

NYC: Weeks 10 & 11

Week 10....well, it bit.  While it started off well, and I was able to get in a great 10 mile run around Craig, Colorado after a work trip, I got the crud after that and wasn't able to do my long run on Sunday, September 26.  After stressing out about it for a couple days, I was reminded that:

1. I am running the New York Marathon for fun -  and not trying to set a PR, and;
2. Running is supposed to be fun no matter what...and not something to be stressed about. It mostly defeats the purpose!

Advice taken.  Attitude checked.

Week 11...I was still feeling a bit cruddy, but got in four miles on Tuesday in Alamosa, where I met one of the largest dogs I have ever seen in my life out on a county road in Dumpsville, Colorado.  I seemed to want to nibble on my hip pocket so I conjured the Dog Whisperer and gave it a strong "SHHHT!" sound.  Stopped it dead in its tracks.  When I pointed back to the trailer from whence it came, it turned around and when back, leaving me free to start breathing again.

In Montrose, Colorado on Thursday I got in 9 more and got back in schedule today with 18 miles.  It occurred to me this morning that I have seem some beautiful things in my runs around the state over the last couple years - things I never would have seen had I not started running in the first place.

That's the kind of stuff that makes it fun.

*****

I now know that in New York, I will be wearing Bib #9578.  I'll be in Blue Wave #1, Corral #9, and will start at 9:20 a.m.  Estimated finish time around 12:50 p.m. EST.  I'm bummed I won't be in the same wave as Erin and Kathleen (both Green), but we have to travel to Staten Island separately anyway.

34 days, 18 hours, 35 minutes......check out the course map!