Clinton Country Run 15k, Clinton, NJ. 4/27/13

I registered today for this race.  I need to get some 700pt USATF- NJ races for my score card.  The timing for this is not ideal, but if I want to run ultras, run marathons, and be a part of the series, nothing is going to be ideally timed.  I have 2-3 goals races per year which I try to taper for, at least, but this race was not a goal race so I ran abt 90 miles this week (including that 50 miler on Sunday) leading up to this.

I really didn't care too much about what I ran today, as long as I made a good effort.  I believe as slow race on tired legs can be just as challenging as a fast race on fresh legs. However, admittedly, I was a little anxious about this race because at this race last year I tore my Plantar Fascia somewhat significantly.  I just want to get through this ok.

Even thought this is my "rest week" with lighter mileage planned from this past Monday, I still always start off at a competitive pace while assessing how much I need to back off.  My plan was to run around 7:00's for as long as I can, expecting the first mile to be fast since it is mostly downhill, and the last miles to be slower b/c they are most uphill

The Course:
I dont think this race is easy.  The first mile starts with a steep downhill, then rolls a little bit through some streets. Then we level out and run along a gravel trail for a few miles.  All of that is easy.  But, at 5 miles we pop out of the trail and hit the roads again, but much of this half of the race includes larger rollers, mostly uphills, that bring us back up to the park.  As we get closer to the park, we hit a very short but steep part that is really just mean.  Finally we enter the park, recover with a decline while making our way around the parking lot on a bike path until we reach the final incline to the finish.

M1 - 6:26... or 6:50???   Last time I ran this I remember the first mile being marked long.  Here again, all the Garmins are beeping before we were even close.  At the beep, my split was 6:26 and it felt like it, but at the mile mark it read 6:50.

M2 - 6:59.  As the road level's out, I settle down, run comfortable and try to reserve something for the rolling hills that will come in the second half of the course.  As we hit mile 2, the Garmin beeps on schedule, reassuring me that the first mile was marked too long.

M3 - 7:04.  We are on the trail section.  I am starting to feel worried.  It was on this part that my PF pain began.  I remember feeling trapped at the half way mark of this shorter race with a lot of pain. Finishing the race only made it worse.  Despite this section being flat and on hard packed dirt, I tend to slow down.  I kept noticing my Garmin reading slower pace and I had to make a focused effort to get the pace back down.

M4 - 6:59.  I know those hill are coming soon and I start to wonder what will happen.  They always seem to slow me a lot in past years here. I am passing some females while getting passed by some men.  I feel like it is too soon to push myself hard so I sit at a comfortably challenging pace waiting for the hills to come.

M5 - 7:00.  We pop out of the trail, turn a corner and cruise down a decline before we start to approach the mild inclining road that will turn into larger rollers soon. I start to make a effort to hold my pace and wonder how many miles I can stay 7 or under.

M6 - 6:58.  I am working hard on the ups to stay steady and working as hard as I can to use gravity to help me on all the downhills

M7 - 6:50.  As we level out again, I try to pick off as many people as I can.  I know the last mile is going to be mostly uphill, so if I want a shot at PR, I need to make up some time and Mile 7 and 8 are the miles to do it.  I don't get as much back as I thought I could in this mile, but I am happy to still feel strong.

M8- 6:48.  Any downhill I find I work hard. Any up I hit I try to stay strong.  I hear what place I am for the women and it becomes my goal to not lose my position.  There are no women near me, in front or behind, that I can see.  However, I don't want to give anyone a chance to pass me on the last uphills in mile 9.

M9- 7:00.  This is a cruel mile.  We have to get back up to the park and we do it with some short steep ups that make my chest hurt.

M9.3 - 2:32. Once up the last of the ups we run a lap around the parking lots on a bike path and finish going up an incline.  I make an effort to finish as fast as I can. Garmin has me a 6:45 pace for .38... but whatever it is, it took me 2:32 to run it.

I am happy to have such a good run after many weekends of longer hard races.  A 15k is a nice change of pace from ultras or marathons. :)

Stat:
1:04:44 (6:57)
5th Female OA
1st AG

Jack Bristol Lake Waramaug 50 Mile, Kent, CT. April 21, 2013

Originally I registered for the 100k at Lake Waramaug.  This was an impulse decision after I ran a PR 6 hour (41.48 miles) on April 6th at the BUS 6 hour.  I had been looking for a road 100k and it seems they are few and far between.  The two I considered (Lake Waramaug and Mad City) both occurred this weekend.  Ray inspired me to give Waramaug a shot so I signed up.

However I ran a (surprising, considering how tired I was) 3:24 at Boston on April 15. That did not give me a lot of time to recover for a 100k.  On the drive up I did some math and realized I would likely not get home until 10:30 -11:00 pm tonight if I ran the 100k, but I had a actual shot at getting home with some daylight if I ran the 50 miler.   I was likely to drop to the 50 miler en route because the time crunch was stressing me out.  If I did drop down, my pace would be a 100k pace from the start which would likely ruin my shot for a good 50M.

As soon as I got my bib I asked Mike Melton, our timer, to please switch me to the 50M.  I felt so much better making that call pre-race.

Gun Goes off. Somehow Ray, who I swear was half way back in the pack a second ago is up in front of me now.  LOL.  I catch up and we run a little, but I end up cruising along with Joe Laskey for the first 2.2 out and 2.2 back.

Joe had a handheld and I carried nothing.  I noted that I would likely lose him at the aid station where I will need to grab something to drink, which is exactly what happened and I never saw him again.  It was great to distract myself with chatter during the early miles.  Joe's pace was a little fast for me so it was ok that he pulled off ahead.

The course is mildly rolling, with only 2 parts I consider long or steep enough to call a hill. One comes in the first 1/3 of the loop while the other is somewhere around 2 miles to go (or something like that).  You would think I could remember, I ran it 6 times!  After the out and back, the 50 milers run 6 x 7.6 mile loops around the lake.  The entire course is road.  Road is Fast!  I love Roads!

After losing Joe, I ran a lot by myself feeling very very beat up.  I was not sure how this race was going to go or how long I could stay in it.  The wind on the back half was rough.  Wind is Slow! I dislike Wind!  I would have been ok if I did a few loops and left, if I found that I just not recovered enough.  I have a lot of races on my calendar and don't want to really do unnecessary damage.

Eliot ran up to time at about mile 13 and he was moving well!  We stayed together for a few miles, but I could not stick with his pace. He was racing the 50k. I was already talking about an eminent DNF.  I started to plan my escape, but first decided that I needed to get to 3 laps to figure out what I was going to do.

However, every time I thought about how tired my legs felt, I looked at my Garmin and my pace was sub-9.  I slowed down to well over 9:00's, and started walking up parts of the hills and through the AS.  I realized that was just so much better.  I grabbed a Mt. Dew from the Aid Station.

Lesson #1 (for me and unlikely to be true for everyone): Never ever under-estimate the value of a well-timed Mt. Dew.  The burst of energy I felt after the sugary sweet caffeinated liquid hit my stomach was undeniably a game-changer for me.  I felt much better and when running I was moving well, but I needed to take care of some issues at the start of lap 3, which I knew would take some time.

As I completed lap 2, my feet would feel the hard road surface and they were getting very achy.  At 20 miles or so by the end of loop, I decided to swap from my Brooks T7 to my Brooks Lauch (The T7's did me well so far, but were just not enough shoe for the next 30 miles, especially since I ran Boston in them and much of the 6 hour run from early April, in addition to all my shorter races and I need a new pair).  

Lesson #2 (for me and unlikely to be true for everyone): The right pair of shoes really can make all the difference. The Launch is just an incredible shoe for my feet.  Loose enough to allow my swelling feet room, light enough to not tired me out, cushioned enough to keep my feet happy and protected. After I made the shoe change in Lap 3 and also made a pit stop, I was back to running comfortably again.

As I continued to run, I felt so comfortable that I was actually beginning to get faster.  What I believed helped me was staying hydrated and consuming most of my calories from liquids.

Lesson #3 (for me and unlikely to be true for everyone):  Solid food hinders my performance. 
I spent years trying to sort out my stomach trouble by trying different foods. I was told early on in my ultra "career" that to run an ultra well, we needed LOTS of calories from densely caloric food.  For me, now, this seems to be just a lot of extra work that my body does not want to do.  Packing in calories makes me stop craving foods and drinks.  I sweat a lot, especially if warm out.  I get dehydrated, get nauseated and throw up and dry heave until I can't function.

My most successful races have a few things in common: (1) Cool temps, around 35-40 degrees, (2) very little calories from solid food and (3) Carrying NOTHING with me.

This race was setting me up nicely by starting off around 32 degrees, but warming as we ran. I knew hydration would be important, yet I did not bring a handheld or pack.  The idea of running unencumbered is how I prefer to do it.  This race has AS about 2 miles apart.  By not carrying a bottle, I find that I create a sense of urgency that forces me to drink at each AS rather than simply tote around fluids and forget to drink.

I grabbed two cups of fluids (water, gatorade, Coke, Mt. Dew in any combination) at each AS.  I found that a Gatorade and a Mt Dew combo works best for me.  I drank enough that I had to pee several times during this race (this is odd for me, so I knew I was drinking well and running slow enough).

When I was feeling a bit hungry, I tried one brownie bite which upset my stomach, then I had approx 2  potato chips.  Yes 2 chips.  Not a handful, or a sleeve of pringles, just 2 at separate times!  I had one small chunk of honey dew melon (approx 1.5 square inches) and one orange wedge on my last lap. That is ALL I ate.  All the rest of my calories came from liquid.   This seems to work for me.

The last three laps of my race were quite steady and evenly paced.  Each lap felt harder, but the paces were close.  What helped tremendously was that Carl, the RD was actually driving around the course backwards cheering on all the runners!  That was really motivating for me.  Carl seems like a really wonderful guy!

With one lap to go, I knew I was setting a PR.  I felt great and gave what I had left.  I was running fast, which gets exaggerated by the others who are fading.  I had to work hard to finish strong while my legs were starting to rebel.  Again I found myself with 3 miles to go and things started to get rough, but not as rough as in the last race, which was about half the distance!

I finish the race, learn that I was First Female in the 50 miler and was promptly awarded my prize and medal.  I check the leader board and learn I was 5th Over All.  That made me happy.

I asked Mike if splits would be posted and he showed me mine. If I remember correctly, my splits went something like this:

- First 4.4 out and back - no idea of time.
- Loop 1 -1:06  
- Loop 2- 1:12
- Loop 3- 1:15
- Loop 4 -1:09
- Loop 5- 1:11
- Loop 6- 1:08

Stats:
Time: 7:41:52 (9:14 pace)
Place: 1st Female and 5th OA

Boston Marathon Race Report, 2013.

2:15 p.m.  I had just collected my gear from the bus and put on my warmer clothes.  I was wet and cold and my plans to stick around and cheer on runners while waiting to see John finish was sounding like a very bad idea.  I could not stop shivering. I only packed a long sleeve T-shirt and it was not enough to block the wind.  I hear an announcement about the location of the busses to back to Hopkinton, which I was hoping to find so I walked over and got on figuring John would understand why I left. 

2:25 pm.  Busses started moving and we were on our way.  

2:45 p.m.  Explosions at the finish, but I am on the road already.

3:05 p.m.  Ann K sends me a message... “Are You Guys Ok?”  “What’s wrong with Ann?" I think. Just 25 minutes prior she sent me a text congratulating me on a good run.  Why is she now asking me if we were ok? Why does she think I am not ok?   

“Something Exploded here!” Ann clarifies.   Now I'm getting worried for her.  Ann was spectating.  She is a passionate New Jersey TNT Runner who traveled up in Boston to watch her friends run.  I still didn't understand the gravity and think “Maybe a water main blew? Maybe a boiler in a building?” I hope she is safe. 

“They are evacuating us!” She adds.   OMG, evacuation. What is going on there. The phones of my fellow bus-mates are buzzing like crazy now.  Others were reporting the same.   

3:08 p.m. John, my friend and training partner was able to secure two actual Invitational Entries to Boston.  He invited Enrique, a fellow TNT runner along to join him.  Enrique brought his wife to cheer!  I text John. “Call me ASAP when you get this to let me know you are OK.”

3:10 pm.  I update FB to say something exploded at the finish line and I am NOT there. 

3:08-3:15 p.m. Texts, FB messages, emails, posts are piling in faster than I can handle them. All asking me if I am safe.

3:15 p.m.  Michele, John’s friend who I just met yesterday when she housed me for the event, has collected me from Hopkinton State Park. She has no idea. I update her.   “Something has exploded at the finish, people are being evacuated, I don’t know where John or Enrique are on the course.  I know John does not have his phone.  I know he should have been close to the finish line. They may have been there!” I tell her. 

3:15-3:20 p.m.  My phone and now Michele’s phone is going nuts.  I call my family to tell them I am safe. 

3:20 p.m. We are back at Michele.  In the short time I have known Michele I already know she is a fast thinker and a problem solver.  She bolts to the computer and starts reviewing chip data of Enrique and John.  She quickly deduces that there is no way they could have reached the finish line in time to be harms way.  (There invitational entries required them to start at the back of wave 3). 

I know from my pre-race conversation with John that he was checking his phone in his gear bag and leaving it on the bus to get it at the finish.  I realize John has no phone and his wife is probably having a melt down.  

3:20-3:33 p.m.  Before I can call Jenn, I get a few more calls from friends and I let them know I am safe.  Everytime the phone rings I hope it is John. It is not. 

3:33 p.m.  I call Jenn, John’s wife, to tell her that I know John did not get all the way to the finish line at the time of the explosion, I know he does not have his phone, but I don’t know where he is.  John has been brilliant and borrowed a cell phone which he used to call his wife.  Good Man!  I know he is safe.  We don’t know where Enrique is, but we know he was behind John. 

News reports another bomb at the JFK library in a different part of Boston.  We don’t know when this will stop, but Michele and I want to get John and Enrique and Gaby out of there, but  we don’t know where they are.

3:40 p.m. We are trying to figure out how to reach Enrique’s wife.  Michele and I know that Gaby, Enrique’s wife, was planning to get herself to the finish line to see Enrique gloriously complete his first and maybe only Boston.  I don’t have Enrique’s number. Enrique is John’s friend. I only just met him for a 60 seconds at the Village, pre-race.  I never met Gaby.  But these were the NJ TNT people that were connected to me here at Boston and I was not leaving until I knew where everyone was.  I try to call Ann back, but she is not answering and I know she has evacuated.  She has been texting so I believe she is ok.

3:45 p.m.  Michele is scanning Facebook to try to leave a message somewhere. I post a note on TNT’s page reporting that I am worried about Enrique’s wife.  Enrique’s page is set up for maximum privacy so we cant get a note on his page or read any updates.  I call Jenn to see if she had Gaby’s number.  No luck.  

4:00 p.m. Phones are buzzing off the hook with FB messages, emails, text, calls from people trying to confirm I am safe. None from John.

4:20 p.m.  I remember that Enrique is a TNT runner.  That is where John met him.  I call Sue, our TNT coach. She is in NJ. I ask her if anyone can pull Enrique’s file. I know he had to fill out a application with emergency contact.  I assumed he would put his wife’s contact info or at least someone who knew her number.  Sue is a great help and calls several TNT staff. Finally she gets Margo, who forwards me a phone number.   

4:45 p.m. I get the forwarded number from Margo. I assume it is for Gaby so I leave a message.  As I hang up I remember John telling me that Gaby actually is not a native English speaker and I am not sure she will understand what I am saying or even call me back. 

4:45 - 5:00 pm.  My cell battery is dying from the sheer volume of communication.  I plug it in to charge it and scan FB on my Ipad for messages about John, Enrique, and Gaby.  Michele is doing the same.  There is nothing there that helps us find them. We don’t know what to do but the phone calls, texts, messages, keeps us busy.

5:00 pm. I call Jenn back. I leave a message to ask her to please call me if she learns that John or Enrique have left Boston because I was not leaving until I found them. 

5:20 p.m. Jenn calls me back. She tells me John made contact with her.  He got to his gear bag. He has his phone.  He made contact with Enrique and Enrique talked to Gaby.  John is still stuck in Boston, she doesn’t know where.  We want to get him out of there.  She reports that he plans to call us soon.

5:25 pm. John calls Michele while I am still talking to Jenn.  Michele, a local Bostonian, tells John how to walk to MIT where Michele works. This is a location she believes we can physically drive to.  We dont know what to expect.  I overhear her saying she doesn’t want to ask him to go to far because she worries he is likely tired from the run. I reassure her John is an ultrarunner and she can send him as far as she need to to get him out of there.  He can walk.  He can run if he needs to.  She gives him directions.

We jump in my car because I have more room and figure we will try to collect Enrique and Gaby as well.  Michele directs me to avoid areas she things will be crowded or dangerous. 

From the news we learn they have found two more devices that failed to detonate.  

6:00 p.m. We are getting close and make decisions to bypass some bridges, worried that maybe things are not done being blown up. Radio is giving us latest reports, which are repeating the same information. Two explosions on the course, two undetonated devices found, one explosion at JFK Library... etc.   The injured tally has gone from 22, to 43, to 57... 

6:30 p.m.  We get into Boston. I step out of my car realizing my bib is still pinned and I am still in my racing gear.  We find John sitting on a bench.  He is safe but looks tired.  He reports that he contacted Enrique and he and Gaby are safe and returning to the training center.  

I tell him that I was planning to wait for him at the finish line!  But I was cold and wet from dumping water on me during the race.  My t-shirt was not warm enough so I decided to look for the bus and heard an announcement for it.  If I wasn’t so cold I would have been there at the finish. I told him I was worried he was there. I knew he should have been btw 20-40 minute behind me in real time, and with his delayed start maybe a bit longer.  If he had a great race I knew he could have been there at the finish when it blew.  

7:30 p.m.  It takes about hour to get back to Michele's as we sit in traffic of those still trying to evacuate, of which we are now included.  We see lights and sirens traveling back in towards Boston. That is not a good sign.  We listen to the radio to see if something else blew up.  The news reports the injured count is rising. Two are reported to have died, over 100 injured. 

7:45 p.m.  Everyone I know is finally accounted for. John is safely out of Boston.  I finally get a shower.  I am starving. 

8:00 p.m. I check a few more Voicemails, answer some texts and then begin my journey home to NJ.  One stop at Dunkin Donuts for my first "real" meal (bagel and hot chocolate) all day.  I head home. 

12:00 a.m.  I make good time and get home just about midnight, update my FB status that I made it back.

Tuesday morning John reports that Gaby was near the finish line, but stopped to use the rest room at a resturant when everything outside blew up.  I am glad my friends are safe.  I am so sorry for those who were trapped in harms way.  I sincerely hope justice gets served and whoever is responsible is held accountable for this horrifying travesty.

As for my plans: I ran a BQ last November that is about 24 minutes below my BQ time... I fully expect to be there next year.

BUS 6 Hour Run, Valley Stream, NY. 4/6/13

Two days ago, there was a family crisis that is not my story to share so I won't.  However, along with many others, my life is likely to be significantly changed as a result.  The lack of control over my world plus all the worry for those directly impacted and all the praying for a positive outcome is exhausting.  All of this from what amounts to a blameless accident and it had me feeling like I was suffocating.

The last thing I wanted to do today was to get up at 5:00 am to head out to Valley Stream to run for 6 hours in a bit of a cold day (which turned out to be perfect weather).  I could not image anything good coming from this.

I had a minor melt-down this morning, explaining my distress to Sid.  I hoped he wouldn't think bad of me for feeling shook up when so many others are in a much worse place. He did not.  He is a good man.  He understood.  He validated.  He did not judge me.  He shared that some of his concerns are the same.  He helped me to feel better.

And then he ushered me out the door, telling me that I should get in the car and go run.  There was nothing I could do from home anyway.  If I ran even just part of the 6 hours, it would likely help me decompress.

Photo Credit: Donna Sajulga-Tabios

So I left much later than I wanted to, but I arrived with 30 minutes to prepare.  It felt comfortable when I stepped out of the car, maybe mid-30's. But once in the wind I was cold.  The loop was short, 1.43x miles.  This meant I could layer up and strip down lap by lap until comfortable.

Richie says GO! The course was mildly inclined on the way out along a river. At the peak of the up, we turned right over a bridge and ran the decline down the other side of a river (with view of the runners behind us).  By mile 1, we ran around a lake, then a right turn through a large parking lot, and final right turn back to the S/F line. Pretty flat fast course with enough slight elevation variation to help the speed.

Photo Credit: Donna Sajulga-Tabios

I started about 7:50-8:05 pace for the first few miles,  As I ran along, I kept accidentally running past the Aid Station. By lap 4 I finally started fluids.  I grabbed abt 6 oz of gatorade when I did drink. I ate cantaloupe when I ate.  I alternated between those options or nothing at all for many hours.

I led the women's race from the gun and hit the 14.4 miles in 2 hours (8:20 pace).   Last time I ran the BUS race, Jodi beat me by about 900 ft and I had no idea I was even that close to her.  I don't know Jodi except by her reputation as an incredible runner who I tend to get beat by.  I was closely paying attention to where she was in relation to me.

At some point, I was passed by a woman in purple who was running very fast and easily putting distance on me.  I figured she was on 45 mile+ pace and since I did not recognize her as someone who could run 45 miles or more in 6 hours, I concluded she would either be phenomenal and crush the ladies,  crash hard at some point later in the race, or maybe she was just out to run a hard 20 mile, marathon, or 50k and call it a day. Regardless, my pace was perfect for me and I wasn't going to chase anyone this early.  I just let her go and watched her trail off.  I saw her later on the massage table and then she left... likely after about 26 miles.

Photo Credit: Donna Sajulga-Tabios

I hit 20 miles at about 2:47 (8:20 pace).   I ran with a girl in black who looked extremely fit and strong.  I believed I was a lap up on her at that point.  As I attempted to pass, I could see it was very easy for her to stick me with.  I knew that with 3 hours to go, I needed to pay attention to her.

I started to get a little tired.  I grabbed one small macaroon and drank some Mt Dew that I had brought with me.

I hit my marathon in about 3:42 (8:28 pace). I had to laugh because this was faster than my Cape May Marathon time last weekend and I didn't feel nearly so terrible today.

I did a lot of thinking out there, for the entire 6 hours, and it made the "pain" of running pale in comparison.

At this point the race within my mind begins.  I was moving well but getting very tired.  I had started with my racing flats (Brooks T7s).  My feet were starting feel very achy, like the ground was so very hard.  I had a pair of Brooks Launch as well. They are not as fast as the T7's but I hoped the extra cushion would help keep me running.  I ran my PR 6 hour race of 41.15 miles completely in T7 so I had no trouble opting to start with them.  However I am a few pounds heavier than I was so my feet may have more of a right to complain.

Photo Credit: Donna Sajulga-Tabios

A lap after the marathon I took about 3 minutes (timed it) to sit down and change shoes.  It took longer than it should have, with no chair and non-functional cold fingers.  In comparison to the racing flats, the Launch felt heavy at first. I was not sure if was a smart move, but in a few minutes all I felt was happy cushioning.   Soon I was back to the pace I left off at.

I hit my 50k in 4:26 (8:34).  At this point I remembered my 50k split from my best 6 hour was about 4:25.  I was actual happy for the first time in a few days.  I tried to not think of the time left.  An hour and a half of running can seem daunting after running for 4.5 hours. I tried to think of miles left and LESS THAN 9 to go until 40 sounded possible!

But things started to slow down. I felt like each mile was taking forever. I was hovering around 8:45-9:00.  I started to reassess the position of my competition.  I knew when I stopped to change shoes the girl I was worried about had passed me and was now on the same lap as me.  But where?  I could still see Jodi about .5 miles behind me or less each lap, but we were staying pretty much in that position, give or take (except for when I stopped for my shoes, when she got a little too close for my comfort).

Photo Credit: Donna Sajulga-Tabios

At an hour to go, I was slowing down in to the 9+ minute mile for a bit. I could see Jodi reeling me in and I knew I had to fight, but I wasn't able to spot the girl until 5:35 into the race.  At that point she had entered into the .5 mile window I could see clearly.  And she was moving fast.

Crap.  I really needed this win.  I know it seems so insignificant, but I felt like with my life becoming so out of control, running was something I could control.  I wanted to know that when things get tough for me, I can dig deep and find more when it matters. (I dont feel every single race is a test of my will, but today I did).  I needed to believe that it takes a lot to break me (even if it doesn't always seem that way).  I wanted to call Sidney and tell him I thought about him for hours and because of him I won. I really wanted to make that call even though winning this race is meaningless in the scheme of things.

I marked a checkpoint by selecting an object that she would likely pass in my view. I checked my Garmin to see distance. I watched and when I saw her pass me, I checked my Garmin again. I discovered she was about .25-.30 miles behind me now.  She was running a phenomenal last hour!  With 25 minutes left and only .25 of ground to make up, she could very well catch me.

Photo Credit: Donna Sajulga-Tabios

I didn't want to loose this race in the last 25 minutes so I dug and ran harder.  I got parts of that loop back to under 8 minute pace (not for entire miles... but for segments). With some effort I clocked an 8:10 mile while literally counting down: 24 minutes to go... 23 minutes to go... 22 minutes to go.  Those were the longest minutes ever.

I compared the clock to my watch time and saw that the official clock had me with less time to go than my watch, which I started a few seconds late.

I just ran hard and planned to be prepared to fight with a kick if needed.  With less than 6 minutes to go, I took off for the last lap, hurting, grunting, and hoping that when I saw her again she would be too far behind me to make up the distance in the time left.  And when I saw her, I noticed she was still .25 -.30 behind me with 3 minutes left. All I needed to do was move forward and I should the lead!

I kicked hard to be safe and ran until I heard the horn.  I was overwhelmed with emotion and did all I could to hold back tears. I was so happy to stop moving.  I plopped right to the ground at the last little red flag marking partial loops and sat there until a race official recorded my partial lap number.

And then I made the painful shuffle to the finish line, realizing that I was probably exactly half way around the loop!  After running 41+ miles, walking .7 seemed like it would hurt! LOL!  (But there was a short cut that make it ok).

I am happy I went. I am proud of this race.  I was not prepared to run this fast.  I had a whole lot of tension built up within me that needed to come out.  I felt a lot better for those 6 hours.

I called Sid and told him I thought of him all day and because of him I won.  He told me that it was because of me I won, but I know better.  Now back to waiting for change to happen, whatever that may entail.

Stats:
Distance: 41.48 miles (new PR) (8:40 per mile)
1st Female
5th OA

Ocean Drive Marathon, Cape May, NJ. 3/24/13

There is not a lot to say about this race. It was not a goal race. I have run it twice now and it never goes well, but that doesn't mean I am disappointed.  I returned to try to run a supported long run that I could use to jump start a bigger mileage week. For the next several weeks, race performances will be sacrificed for better training. This is part of my process.  I enjoy training through races so I will still be racing (cheaper events), but most of them will be tired runs until I taper again for the next goal.

Friday I ran a hard 7 miles. Yesterday, I ran 15.2 miles with Team in Training, almost as a reverse progression (not intentionally).  I started with some faster runners. Well, I should clarify.  I started with Alanna who forgot her watch and therefore ran freely.  Apparently Alanna likes to run a low 8 minute pace when she forgets her watch!   That felt ok and I knew we would slow it down.  Steve joined Alanna and me for 4 miles.  He is one of our speediest TNT runners.  We did slow it down, since both Alanna and I were going to run this marathon today.  Alanna left and I stayed with Steve. I talked him into an easier pace for the next 5 mile loop about 9:20's.  After Steve left, Maria stilled needed 5 more miles so I headed out with her, Sue and one more TNT runner at an easier pace.

My allergies and autoimmune system have been acting out lately.  I did not feel great yesterday, but the pace only averaged out to mid-9's so I didn't really feel horrible.  However, I was wiped out after the run and spent the day doing things around the house (made soup, tried to make gluten-free rice crispy bars with coconut and chocolate chips).

Usually I try to take Enzo out for his run after TNT's run, but I just didn't have the energy. Enzo has taught us a new trick.  When Enzo wants to run, he goes over to his leash on the wall and hits it with his nose so it swings.  We learned this means we are being asked to take him out.  It is irresistible and thankfully Sid complied with Enzo's request leaving me home to vegetate (and make soup).

Today, I got up at 4:30 am and headed down to the race.  I feel exhausted in the car and figured that was because I got up at 4:30 am to drive 2 hours.  Once at the bus pick up, I found Alanna and we took the bus another 30 minutes, maybe?, to the starting line.  We had about an hour wait until the start.

During that time, I had a lot of trouble figuring out what to wear from my gear bag.  The weather was in that odd state of being above 30, but feeling like sub-30.  Some people were in singlets and shorts. Others were in winter gear.  I thought about the last ultra I ran in sub-30 and dressed like that. (T7 racers, Dry Max sock, calf sleeves, capri pants, long sleeve tech shirt, sports bra, light jacket, winter hat, and throw away gloves). Before I checked my gear bag, I decided that I felt too warm, so I swapped my jacket for vest and put my hat and gloves in my drop bag. I should have worn less, but at times I was cold, so no matter what I wore it would likely not have felt ideal.

I was a little cold at the start, so it seemed perfect.  The wind was reported online to be 7 mph from the North so although we had to run in the entire way, 7 mph seemed ok.   I know from law school, when I used to study a lot on the beach in Key Biscayne in Miami, that if the winds were under 13 mph I could ride my bike to the beach because I could sit on my beach towel and my beach towel, books, and a snack fit in my bike baskets.  If the winds were 13 or more I had to drive my car to the beach because I needed to bring my beach chair since the winds would kick up sand into my books if I was sitting on the ground.  So I figured 7 mph wasn't even enough wind to kick up sand, how bad could it be.

Off we go and I figure a 7:15-7:25 pace to start is reasonable.  I expected a fade.  I did train for this to be  PR.  But, I just ran 12.4 miles at 6:53 and 31.06 miles at 7:50.  I have run a marathon at 7:27 and 7:29 paces at best, so I didn't feel this speed was too ambitious. However, because I started off feeling under the weather, any additional frustrations along the way just made me feel worse.

By mile two I was already getting frustrated from the noise of the constant wind blowing past my ears.  I realize that sounds crazy, but at one point I covered my ears because I just wanted to sound of the wind to stop.  We pretty much had to run into the wind the entire race so the force of it plus the noise was relentless. Next windy race, I have to wear something over my ears.

As we ran with the 10 milers, I remembered that the first 11-12 miles of the course is only stocked with water.  I tend to rely on course supplied sports drink as my fuel and carry only two gels on me.  I planned for my first gel at 9 miles (or nearest aid station). I don't think much of running the first 9-10 on just water, but in hindsight, my best 50k and marathons have always been fueled from 3 miles on and every 3 miles throughout on gatorade.  When gatorade was finally on the course, the powder mix seemed to be very dilute.  I do think that going so long without any calories and when I did get some it was watered down a lot simply added to how tough this race became for me at the end.  Of course we are all free to be carry our own stuff to meet our own needs and the race website said no gatorade until almost the second half.  I do feel that when a race charges about $100 per runner, it would be nice of them to get some sports drink on the course before mile 11, and if using a mix, make sure it is mixed properly at the stops that have it.

This race was not a goal race for me, so training in a depleted state works out to be better training anyway for me.  I just didn't plan on it for today. I know that less than my preferred access to sports drink is not sole the cause of my crash, but it did become just one more straw for me today.

At one point, just past 13.1 I stepped on some crushed sea shells and a few shards became jammed in the sole of my shoes.  I had to stop to remove that.  That made me laugh so I thought I would share. :)

Last time I "ran" the ODM, it was by far the worst marathon of my life.  I pretty much walked in the last 10 miles, learning at that race that eating a bagel in the morning was the worst thing I could do.  It was the race I decided to experiment going Gluten Free with running fuel.  As I passed the halfway point, I tried to stay positive but I was already feeling terrible physically and knew it wasn't going to go well for me today, again. I felt like it was 2012 all over again.

If I was able to DNF at that point, there was no doubt in my mind that I would have walked off the course today.  Everything about me was achy.  I had no pep in my stride.  I felt completely exhausted and overly fatigued, more than I should at this distance. No pace felt comfortable.  My large muscle groups like my quads felt weak.  I was having trouble not slouching over.  Coming off another low mileage week and running a flat course, it was so very odd for me to feel so beat up.   I am not a fan of that feeling.

Just like the last time, at 16 miles, everything just fell apart for me.  Today, I had already slowed down to about 7:50-8:05.  After 16 miles it was just a matter of making to finish line so this could all be over. I cruised along at 9-10 minute pace, walking through water stops, stopping to use the porta-potty.

Over the next 10 miles, I hid my watch so I didn't have to look.  I slowed way down because I had to, not because I wanted to.  It would have been better for my body and mind to get it done faster, but I felt so weak and harder running made me feel dizzy and queazy.  It felt like I was out there for days and when I finally looked at my watch with 2 miles to go, I was happy to see that I was still going to finish around 3:45, which is what I did.

Admittedly, I am a little frustrated that in my 50k, my marathon split was about a 3:22 and felt easier than today's 3:45. At the 50k I even kept on going. That was 3 weeks ago. Here I wasnt prepared or planning to PR, but I did expect to be able to cruise in around a 3:30-ish without much suffering.  I suffered pretty much this whole race and I am not sure why, except to say sometimes these things just happen.  My body has been fighting off some allergies for a few weeks now and I suspect I am just really tired from it all.

I left before the results were posted so I have no official stats at this time.

I am not terribly disappointed.  I am bummed to not get that High from a job well done, but I know hard days are part of the process.  Any day spent running is a good day no matter how long it takes :)

Asheville Shamrock 10k, Asheville, NC. 3/16/17

Sid and Enzo in front of the Mooney from a prior trip

Sid and I spent a long weekend in Asheville 3 years ago.  We wanted to go back and do some of the things we did the last time (run trails, eat good food, run this 10k) and some new stuff (like fly ourselves in, take Enzo to Bent Creek, etc.).   In 2010, the weather was bad so we ended up driving down instead of flying.  This time the weather was nice so Sidney rented the Mooney and we flew down from NJ.

It was so beautiful flying in over the mountains, but mountains and wind equal a ton of turbulence.  As we descended towards the airport, the winds made a sudden shift.  We were the first to be diverted to a different runway.  This added a few more minutes for me to try not to puke as we bounced around.  I honestly don't know how Sidney does what he does.  Not much seems to phase him, at least in the air.

However, on the ground I can find ways to challenge his comfort zone ;).  On Saturday morning, as we walked into the school gym to pick up our packets, Sid exclaimed, "Hey! I didn't know there was a 5k option!"  I responded, "That's because I didn't tell you.  The 5k turns around before the big climb and I thought you would be disappointed to miss out on the challenge. ;)"

During my warm up, I ran right into Veronica (my old NYU roommate) and her baby nephew (who was truly a little genius at just over 1 years old).  V was coming to hang out with us for the day.  It was nice to see her after many years, but I was already getting pre-race nerves and was ready to start.   She asked me if I thought I was going to win.  I told her that would be unlikely since I don't train on hills and I fully expect some local runners to just crush the course while I suck wind on the climbs.

Sid met me at the starting line and commented how he was not looking forward to running up that mountain.  I told him that it is only fair that if he rattles me in the air, then I get to rattle him on the ground.  We both stood there knowing that we have done nothing specific to prepare for this course and accordingly there was now nothing we could do to make it not hurt.

The gun goes off. We start off downhill, turn a corner and head uphill until we finally start cruising down towards mile 1.  The 5k and 10ks start together.  It was hard to figure out who was racing what and with a crowded start I wasn't sure where I was in the field once we spread out and started making turns where I lost sight of the lead runners.

I wore my Garmin, but I did not look at my splits when I saved them.  I knew they didn't matter.  This race was about beating the course, not beating the clock.   M1: 7:02

I knew we would start really climbing before I hit mile 2.  I was torn between trying to run as fast as I could to the uphill, knowing that I would likely be power hiking at least the steepest part or trying to save myself  for the climb so I could stay strong on the way up.  As the 5k runners turned off, I was informed that I was the first female. That was unexpected but I assumed the local runners would just overtake me on the climb.  I wondered how long it would take. I saved a little strength for the climb. M2: 6:53

As we turned into the hill and started the climb, I could feel the pressure change inside my entire body.   I felt my heart beat in my ears.  The climb varied in steepness and I just tried to stay moving as my pace slowed to a crawl. M3: 9:01

Knowing that the we have to go down and remember that from 4-5 was a steep downhill mile, I just tried to focus on getting to mile 4.  Any chance now that I could run fast I took it. The climb was almost over so I didn't need to hold back.  I was surprised to not have been passed in mile 3 and could not help but take advantage of the twisting roads that allowed me to glance down to earlier parts of the course.  Even with a few peaks back, I noticed one female but couldn't tell if she was the closest one behind me.  If she was, there was no way to tell how fast she was going in relation to me.

Rather than worry about what is happening behind me, I decided to focused on the four guys I could see ahead of me and try to keep them in sight as I hit mile 4.  I was so tired and everything was burning but I was moving.  At the very steepest part, it seemed straight up, I was slowed to a power-walk for just a few steps. I realized walking would not slow my pace, but rather allow me to catch my breath a bit as I reached the summit.  I am glad I made this decision because once I crested the steepest part, I was ready to run hard and fast.  M4: 8:01

(Despite all those ups and downs in the Garmin data, in reality it was primarily up from 1.7 through 4 miles with flatter sections between ups.  There seemed to be only one noticeable downhill section during those uphill miles).

Once we hit mile 4, we got to go DOWN and make up all the time we lost.  The only trouble is that at points it gets so steep, that it makes me worry my feet are going to slip out from under me. I actually start gaining on the guys in front of me. M5 6:23.

I catch up to one guy who tells me that I am 1st female.  I tell him I have been waiting to be passed this entire race.  He asks me how old I am.  I tell him I am 37 and he said "I knew you were a youngster!" (LOL. Young!).  He says he is 47 and lives in the neighborhood.  I ask him what the rest of the course looks like.  He mentions one or two more little hills to go.  He asks me where I am from.  I tell him NJ and explain that I don't live in the mountains so I never expected to be doing this well.  I just keep pushing my pace and I pulled ahead of him, briefly.

We turned a corner and merge with the 5k runners. We hit a short uphill, where he flew past me.  We had caught up to some of the other guys and I pass one as I get passed back by the local guy I just met.   I stop paying attention to the men and just keep running hard.  I feel a little dizzy and it is becoming hard to focus M6: 6:22

We have a short downhill then and a final up hill sprint to the finish.  It is now that I begin to believe that I am actually going to win this race.  I can't believe it.  I can't wait to tell Sidney... if he is still speaking to me.

I see Veronica at the finish.  She is happy to see me finish.  She asks how I did.  I tell her I won.  She is surprised.  It can be hard to tell when the 5ks and the 10ks are coming in the same finish.  I head down to cheer on Sidney and a few minutes later I see him.  I ask him, "Do you hate me now?" He answers,  "Um, I am not speaking to you right now (with a smile)."  He ran well, but times and places don't matter to him.  Regardless, I am proud of him.

Stats:
Time: 44:37 (7:11)
Overall place: 9th
Gender place: 1st

Miles for Music 20k. USA-TF NJ State Championship. 3/10/13

Photo by Elaine Acosta

So here I am again.  Just like last year.  Standing at the starting line of a 20k road race just one week after a 50k PR at Nationals and a 100 mile week of running unsure of what I am capable of doing. There are no guarantees after the guns goes off, except that I am going to try to do my best.

No rest.  Tired legs.  All that I can think of is "30k less than last weekend!" and that makes it sound reasonable for me to be here.

This morning, I woke up with the skin around my eyes swollen and raw.  It feels like I have a bad sunburn, that I somehow got while sleeping.  This happens a few times each year, and most consistently in the first week of March.  After months of test and many doctors visits, it was concluded that I have a faulty immune system (that could be related to the damage done by my chemotherapy).  My body gets confused and attacks itself at random.  It used to be worse.  I used to become covered in hives and have trouble breathing.  Once my throat started closing up.  At least once per year I am getting shot up in the ER with steroids.  I am not in pursuit of a more conclusive diagnosis.  I have had over 200+ needles to try to find what I am reacting to and nothing was identified.  So, I consider my faulty autoimmune system the price I have to pay to be alive and that price in my mine is quiet small.

I pre-registered for this race.  Had I not, I would have likely stayed home because the last time I had a puffy face and ran it did get worse.  However, the time before that running made it better.  The time before that I was not running at all and I had a reaction.  My running and my autoimmune disorder simply co-exist and do not seem to bother each other.  Regardless, I called John Phelan on the way to the race and told him that if I start to feel bad, then I may need him to take me to the ER.   However, on the drive over the swelling seemed to be calming down somewhat since I first woke up and that made me feel better.  The raw, burning skin sensation around my eyes and eye lids was still present, but at least I no longer looked like a monster.

I knew this was could go either way.  My plan was to hover just sub-7:00 and see how that felt.  My last 10 miler was 6:53 and I wanted to hit that pace for the 20k, but I did just race a 50k hard last weekend. I could very easily crash.  I needed to see how long I could hang on!

Weather said low 30s but I still felt cold.  I wore way too much to the starting line and ditched half of it before lining up.  I broke out a new pair of Brooks T7's and opted to go with my now lucky (as opposed to geeky) capri pants and calve sleeves in lieu of tights.  I had a long sleeve tech shirt and knew it was going to be too warm for me as the temps rose.

Gun goes off. I try to settle in with a pack of guys I know run about my pace when I am running really great.  We made our way up the incline, heading out towards the first turn around. M1-6:51

I was surprised that I felt so comfortable.  I found I was bouncing down below 6:40 at times, but knew I would not hold that for 12.4. I would rather speed up than fade, so I settled down.  Someone commented about my capri pants, stating that she had the same pair. She did. She made a few more comments about how she loved Brooks gear. A guys ahead said how much he loved the shoes.  I thought it was funny to be caught up in the middle of a Brooks love fest and I really did not say much at all.  I was trying to stay focused and in tune with my body.  I wasn't sure if my throat would start to swell or my legs would suddenly become jello.  Also, a sub-7 pace tends to be a little bit to fast for me to hold up my end of a conversation.  I felt good and just did not want to waste any energy.  M2-6:53

I sat on a pack of runners for many of the middle miles.  Actually I was just out of reach of them but moving close to their speed.  I could see they were slowly creeping away from me, but I knew that if I pushed a little harder this early, it would be too fast.  I planned to just run MY pace and feel comfortable until last 15k.  M3-6:53, M4-6:51, M5-6:50, M6-6:52.

I still had the pack in range and felt pretty good.  I saw my 5k split at 20:58 and my 10k split at 42:10. Just a small fade, but pretty close!  I wanted to see about getting to the 15k in under 1:04 (which I believe is still my 15k PR).   I had a gel tucked in my sports bra and decided I might as well take it.  M7-6:55.

As we started to round the turn around I realized I was gaining on the small pack I was trailing.  Again, I did not alter my comfortable pace because felt good and knew I was running well.  I just ran MY race and since I was not fading, I was reeling in those who started to fade a bit.  I passed some of that pack while a few pulled ahead. M8-6:56

As the temperature began to warm slightly I could feel I was sweating a lot. I decided with just under a half hour to go, I would ditch my long sleeve near the start finish line.  It was the best move I could have made.  I felt so much better and ready to try to finish fast.   You can't decided to run in a sports bra in the cold and not run fast (without getting cold, and/or simply looking a bit like an idiot ;) LOL).  So to not look like an idiot, I tried to run fast. :)  M9-6:53 (15k was sub-1:04)

I felt strong and took advantage of any fast parts of the course.  I wanted to get this over with fast.  I started counting down the mileage, ignoring that 0.4.  Ten miles done, 2 to go!  I knew there was a small uphill just after the downhill after the turn around. After that uphill I hoped to have something to offer.   M10-6:46, M11-65:55, M12-6:53

I realize that I actually did not have as much of a kick as I had hoped.  I was tired and just happy to still be running sub-7's.  I got my speed up as I got closer to the finish, running that last .4 the fastest of the day.  Last 0.4 - 2:52 

Stats:  
Time: 1:25:22 (6:53 pace)
OA Place: 93
Gender: 11
AG: 2

I can't end this without saying Congratulations to John Phelan, who ran a 50k PR last weekend and joined me today to run pretty close to his half marathon PR today!  Great job John!

My Guest Blogger Article: Running as Therapy, Multidays.com 3/8/13

Running as Therapy by Shannon McGinn

Posted by Abichal on March 8, 2013 in Guest Blogger, Latest news | 0 Comment

Running as Therapy
by Shannon McGinn

“Running. Cheaper Than Therapy.” I can’t remember where I first saw that slogan, but it made me laugh. As a runner, I recognize that I run because it makes me happy. I do much of my training alone. My running, sometimes, offers me space to think. I can cover miles while contemplating the mysteries of my life.

As a therapist, I spend countless hours invested in the struggles of others. To de-clutter my mind, I often need peace, quiet, and time for myself. Sometimes I think about nothing at all. Anyone who knows me can attest to how challenging it is for me to quiet my thoughts. Once in a while, on a great run, I can do it. I will look down at my watch and realize a significant amount of time has passed and I can’t remember thinking about a single thing. Those days are amazing!

But most days, my running is simply mathematics in motion. Lots of math. Hours of math. Math relevant to the run that I am doing. Math relevant to the runs I have done. Math relevant to the runs I want to do in the future. I am good at math, but not as good as I should be after the amount of time I spend practicing it.

For me, the days that I think about nothing or distract myself with math are better than those days when my runs are spent processing the stressors of my life. Maybe math is the secret? “Math. Cheaper Than Therapy.” Hmm, I probably wont sell a lot of those T-shirts.

I recognize that there is a difference between “something that is therapeutic” and “therapy”. But first, it is important to note that there has been success with using exercise to manage symptoms of clinical level anxiety, depression or other mood disorders. It is an excellent intervention, used in conjunction with other types of treatment, when the source of the problem is unknown or cannot be remedied and therefore managing symptoms is the ultimate goal.

Many runners, even those without a clinically diagnosable disorder, would likely agree that running is therapeutic because it helps us cope with stress. However, coping with stress or managing symptoms often does not solve underlying problems. In most cases, unless our biggest stressor is not being a good-enough runner, then running, on its own, is really not the solution. Running, whether it be through the woods, on the roads, at some destination race, or even on a treadmill, will always drop us off in the same place we started. The relief of symptoms after a run is real, but it is temporary. Symptoms will likely return until we can run again or resolve a conflict. Longer lasting change does not generally happen unless we are able to implement some of the ideas we spent hours developing while on the run. Therefore, it is often the actions we take (or decide to not take) after the run that resolves our conflicts.

Or is it the act of running that changes us? From a cognitive behavioral perspective, I do believe the act of running, on its own, may have tremendous value as an agent for intrapersonal change.
Not without its critics, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered a highly effective evidence-based psychotherapeutic intervention for a wide range of conditions. Under CBT theory, our behavior is shaped by our beliefs (or constructs) about ourselves and the world we live in. When maladaptive beliefs shape our behaviors, they act to perpetuate conflict, stress, and/or dysfunction. Because how we behave impacts how we are received, perceived, and reacted to by others, our beliefs get reinforced as accurate and factual, even if they are simply misperceptions. In other words, we create self-fulfilling prophecies that keep us stuck. By challenging our constructs, maladaptive beliefs are uncovered. Once we realize that what we believe to be truths are actually inaccurate opinions, our behaviors change and our world is experienced differently. As a result, conflicts, distress, and/or dysfunction resolve.

But what does this have to do with running? In actual practice, effective CBT interventions are carefully crafted to address maladaptive beliefs that perpetuate specific disorders. We already discussed that being a successful runner is not a solution to non-running problems. However measurable success as a runner has the power to reshape the beliefs we hold about ourselves as people.

For those who care to track data (and it seems most runners do track the data that is important to them), running offers us clear and concrete measurable goals and results. If it is truly important to us, we will know if we actually ran a mile (or 100 miles) and just how long we took to do it. Even without a watch, we know if we ran “better” than last time. If we run further, faster, more frequently, or cover more challenging terrain with more ease than we ever thought possible, we know it. In time, it becomes clear that running changes our beliefs about how strong we are, how much we can endure, and how much heart we have. This is a significant cognitive shift that not only shapes how we perceive ourselves as runners but also how we perceive ourselves as people.

Running truly has no finish line. Because the experience of completing a challenging run is incredibly rewarding, runners are easily compelled to challenge themselves repeatedly. As a result, it is no surprise that ultrarunning is a fast growing sport. Hundred mile races are now more popular than ever. People who never imagined they could complete a marathon are now daydreaming about multi-day racing.

Beside offering concrete measurable goals and the opportunity to manage stress, running, just like a good therapy session, teaches us how to use metaphors to make sense of our world. We learn how the climbs always seem worse from the bottom. We learn that every great run starts with the courage to take the first step. We learn that if we fall down, we have to get up, dust ourselves off, and get back at it. Running teaches us that if we plan well, work hard, stay focused, fight through challenges, take care of our basic needs, and have gear that works, then we have a good chance at discovering we are capable of amazing things. Running ultimately teaches us that we are only as weak as we believe we are. All these lessons ring true for life as well.

The cognitive shift running creates within us is often life-altering. Our confidence builds. Challenges scare us less. Suddenly ridiculous things become reasonable goals. As a result, people treat us differently because we act differently. We begin to discover “new” opportunities that likely have always been present. Most importantly, if our conflicts or stressors were a product of our own insecurities about ourselves, the increase in self-confidence running brings can result in solutions in our non-running world.

This is all wonderful stuff, but not everyone is good at self-discovery and change. Some people will simply run in circles, never really challenging their constructs, never solving problems, or never breaking old patterns. Some people need more than just a therapeutic activity to help them through their pain. Unfortunately, there is still a great resistance towards asking a therapist for help, even within a group of people who will so proudly declare “Running is my therapy!”

I don’t believe that everyone who finds therapeutic value in running needs to sit down and discuss their experience with a professional. A good test to determine whether you need more than just running to help resolve a conflict is to reflect upon how long you have been stuck on the same problem. Have you been able to significantly change or overcome any part of your struggle on your own? If not, then running may be a wonderful therapeutic activity for coping with stress, but a therapist may be necessary to give you the support and guidance you need while you wrestle with the hard parts of life.

Finally, is running cheaper than therapy? I am sure it used to be back when running around for no reason was considered abnormal. Now the secret is out. People are rapidly discovering the therapeutic life-altering value of distance running. Thanks to supply and demand, running and racing is getting more expensive. It is now becoming a race to secure a bib for ultras. That used to be a marathon problem. As I look at the rising costs of ultras, where my personal therapy most often takes place, I am starting to think that I may need to print up a new T-shirt. “Therapy. Cheaper Than Running.” Hmm, I don’t think that would sell very well either. It is almost as bad at the one about math.

Shannon McGinn is a running coach based in and around Woodbridge, NJ. Checkout Shannon’s blog,Creating Momentum for more ideas and thoughts that inspired “High Mileage And Low Injury Rate”.

USA-TF 50k Nationals: Caumsett Park, LI, NY 3/3/13

Jessi Kennedy, John Price, Me, Alanna Garrison-Kast,
 John Phelan, and Dave Lettieri

For the months leading up to the 50k Nationals, this race has dominated my training focus.  I race often. Not all of those races are goal races. Sometimes I fumble, especially when I race too beat up from training or too soon after recently racing.  However, I know that even those races have value to me and that is why I keep doing it.

After running a 4:10 at the BUS Fat Ass 50k in December, I wanted to try to go sub-4:10 at Caumsett. In the last week of January through first two days of February, I logged a 90 mile week.  I knew I wanted to reach 100 miles for the week one month out from Nationals. In February, I started tracking my "rolling 7 days" mileage (i.e. not just calendar weeks, but rather what I was running in every new 7 day period).

On Monday, February 4, I hit 100 miles in the last 7 days.  From February 4 through February 17, I worked harder than I ever had before to maintain 100-110 miles in every 7 day period, giving me two more calendar weeks of 100 miles per week.

I noticed that I was STARVING all the time (not really a surprise).  Rather than stick to my regular eating habits, I ate more of the healthier foods I normally eat at home. I also lost the will to turn down sweets if they happen to cross my path out in the world. :)  I found that eating to fuel my trainings made it easier and easier to maintain the 14+ miles per day average that I needed (for 20 days in a row) to keep my rolling 7 day mileage at 100 + from Feb 4 - Feb 17.  I didn't feel like I was overeating, but I did notice that my weight was going up.  I didn't have any over use issues, I wasn't too fatigued, and nothing hurt. People were commenting that I looked thinner. By February 17, I had gained back all of the 5 lbs I worked hard to drop last year.  I was a little concerned that maybe I inadvertently ate too much junk and somehow managed to blow high mileage training by getting fat during the process!

My last long run was a winter marathon in Albany. I ran this marathon as my "Run for Jenny" run and chose it because it was going to be tough.  I was hoping to finish, but knew it was more likely I would not.  You will see from my last race report, that I DNF'd that race at 21 miles mostly due to running extremely tired with no rest, but also due it being extremely windy and bitter cold.   I went to Albany, knowing the elements I would be exposed to would likely be so much worse than anything I would face at Caumsett Park at the 50k Nationals.  It was a race to give me perspective and it did it's job.

I got home from Albany knowing how tired I was at 13 miles and realizing I NEEDED to taper smartly for Nationals or I am going to blow it.  Tapering sounds simple but if you spend any time researching the best way to develop a taper, you will find a lot of variation.  The one common denominator is that almost everyone with credibility recognizes a taper works.   So I wrote out my taper plan.  In general I wanted to cut back from 100 mpw to 75-80 mile per week, then down to 50-60 mpw for the last week.  (I ran 78 miles and 55.5 miles in reality). I timed when I should be running my last fast runs.  I tried to NOT continue to eat the way I was when I was running 100 mpw.  I also made an effort to carb load the few days prior by shifting percentages for my meals that used to be higher protein to higher carbs. All I know is the night before the race I felt sluggish and fat. :)

PRE RACE THOUGHTS
I had, for the first time in my running career, executed as close to a "textbook training plan" as possible, then tapered, had remained healthy and carb-loaded before the race.  It was because I did everything "right" that I was TERRIFIED!  If I didnt' run well, the only reason I would have, besides possibly crappy weather, was that I screwed up the pacing and blew up trying to run too fast, or I was just too mentally weak to handle race stress.  I know what I have been through in life and I know I can be tough when it matters.  But after recently DNF'ing Albany and also blowing up at some longer races,  my confidence was a little shaky.

I am thankful for John and Alanna who made me laugh the entire drive up... with random statements like (Alanna (in serious matter-of-fact tone): "I love old houses... but they are all haunted") LOL!

WEATHER and GEAR
Weather was not terrible, but not perfect either.  It was more chilly than the previous years due a heavier wind off the water.  I really dislike wind.  I knew the wind was not going to be a factor around the entire course but there was definitely sections that we were going to face it.  It was no Albany!

I was planning on wearing shorts but once I got out of the car and realized it was a little more bitter than I had hoped, I was glad I had brought my capri pants too. Of course this meant I was going to be rocking a very geeky calf sleeve / capri pants look and one person said, "Um, why didnt you just wear pants."  I actually prefer the fit of my capris vs my tights and wanted more support for my calves.

As for shoes, I was debating what shoes to wear for about a week.  I had brand new Pure Connect 2 (and all my 50k PR's were set in Pure Connect originals).  I wore the Connect 2's on Friday and  decided I needed more time to break them in.  I had Pure Drifts, which are my lightest shoe but have a very wide and comfy toe box.  I wore them for a half and in Albany.  I noticed a little slippage in them and was concerned that  over 4 hours of running the slippage could equal blistering.  These may be better for shorter races.  We will find out later.  I had a pair of T7 racing flats which I decided that I would wear because I raced a fast marathon in them.  Despite them being heavier than my drifts and having a higher drop, I knew the fit was perfect and they had enough life left in them to carry me the distance.  I am so pleased with my shoe choice.  It was a great decision for me and I had 0 shoe issues.

THE RACE:
I could feel the tension building as I waited for the start.  I fueled up with Gatorade Prime, something I never tried before (yep, I did something new on race day! LOL).  I took a gel.  I even took four endurolytes in the cold, just for a little electrolyte insurance.  John Phelan and I jogged about 1 minute and then I kind of jumped around in place at the start just to stay warm. It is hard to warm up for a 31.1 mile race.  I saw John Price gave him a big hug.  Then I lined up behind Tim, who I ran a chunk of miles with at the BUS Fat Ass 50k.  He asked my plan and I told him "I want 7:40-7:45's for a long as possible." (I didn't tell him I wanted that for the entire race) :)

Math is easy on a 5k loop.  240 minutes is 4 hours.  24 minutes per 5k is 4 hours for 50k. 7:44 pace is sub-4. I wanted to sneak in just under 24 for as long as possible and try to hold on for 10 laps.  I knew if I had a shot at sub-4, it had to be as even as possible or I would risk blowing up.

Lap 1 - Litte bit of a fast start, but I got it down to 7:28 for M1.  I settled in to my goal pace after mile 1 and rounded out the start/finish mat in 23:45.  On the spur before the finish, I counted 9 women ahead of me.  I felt good, but not great.  I still felt tired.  (I had run 8.5 easy miles the day before. After reviewing my log and finding that I have run between 5-16 miles the day before PR races with my best race having a 8.5 mile run the day before.  Next time, I think I'll run only 4-5 the day before.  I think 8.5 may have been too much for no real reason).

Lap 2 - I noticed on the windy part, my legs felt very tired.  It was too early to work hard.  I remembered something that Beau Atwater had said to me years ago in casual conversation at a 5k. He was sharing about when he trained hard using the Hanson plan for a sub-3 marathon. He had said his mileage was the highest he ever trained and when he got to mile 4 of his marathon, his leads felt tired and this made him nervous.  But, they never got worse and he ran strong the entire way and even walked off the course stronger than ever.  That thought helped me because my legs were a little tired it was about mile 4. Thank you Beau!  I came through just seconds under my goal time for the 10k split.  Lap time: 24:13.

Lap 3 - I noticed I was not getting more tired and my pace was solid.  I started to thinking about the 386 miles I ran in 30 days 2 weeks before my taper.  It had to mean something.  It had to matter.  I tapered, I was healthy, and there is no reason, except stress or poor pacing, that was going to cause me fail now.  I visualize dumping the weight off my shoulders.  I imagined dumping pounds of stress and pressure I put on myself while reminding myself that stress cannot help me now.  (Stress is good if it makes me train more.  But on race day, stress seems useless.)  I actually did feel better.  Lap time: 23:54 (perfect).

Lap 4 - I reminded myself that I just needed to get to lap 5 and then I start counting down. In the past, if I was going to blow up, I generally know it by the half way mark.  I usually stick it out until 2/3 of the race then I drop if it is really over.  If I can get to 5 laps and feel ok, I usually can suck it up and hold on for the other half.   In this lap, I took my first gel. Lap time: 23:44.  Good!

Lap 5 -  Here we go!  I knew that I should be lapping some of my friends on this lap b/c I had a few people planning to run 5-6 hours.  As I came around towards the finish, I saw my people and the encouragement was motivating!  Half way: 1:59:10!  Lap Time: 23:41.   If I stayed steady and held on sub-4 was possible!

Lap 6 - Here I was starting to get tired and began to play mind games with myself on purpose.  I would think lap 6, 4 to go!  But that is actually not true.  I was working lap 6, and had 4 full ones after that. It was nice to start over with the math, and I knew I needed to come in under 2:24 to be on sub-4 pace. Lap Time: 23:46. Still on pace!

Lap 7 - I was getting tired, but I had my second gel planned for this lap.  I was supplementing my fuel with cups of gatorade on both sides of the course, so I did not need a lot of gels.  In all my best 50k I used only 2 gels,  plus one at the starting line, as long as I could get at least abt 6 oz of gatorade per lap.   I was grabbing cups, drinking a mouthful, dumping the rest.  I was likely getting about 3 oz of gatorade 2 x per lap.   I took my gel, convincing myself that it was liquid energy and it was going to be rejunevating! Lap Time: 24:18.

Lap 8 - Ok. That gel wasn't super rejuvenating, but it did it's job.  I new I had 3 laps left, but I kept repeating to myself, just 2 to go!  Here I was at about the point where if I am going to drop, it is going to happen.  My legs were getting heavy and I was getting concerned that I was going to crash.  I started questioning my pace plan?  Was sub-4 too ambitious?  Should I have started at 7:50?  Then I shook these thoughts away and knew, I should be shooting for sub-4 because I worked hard for it.  I also knew that if I didn't make it, I was still going to be happy because I tried and I set myself up nice for a substantial PR.  I knew I was also starting to get too warm and tried to get my jacket off, but had to take off my Garmin and that was a pain to do. I lost a few second dealing with that train fiasco.  Lap Time: 24:47

Lap 9 - Here is where the suffering begins!  With my head down, eyes on the road, trying to not waste any energy at all, I moved forward.  I knew my pace was slowing a bit beyond what I needed and I still had a 10k left.  The wind was feeling harder than ever.  People gave me encouragement. I couldn't even lift my head. My legs were starting to get very tired.  Thoughts of walking began to creep into my thought.  I started to think: "I don't care what happens now.  I know I tried.  I went for it and it is what it is."  Then I got mad at myself for thinking like that because I know that I do care!  I worked hard and I care what happens!  I dont care whether I tried. I always try. This time, I cared whether I succeed.  I knew sub-4 would be awesome but it was not going to happen today.  A low- 4 hour time would be a awesome too!  I knew running every single step non-stop is a what I wanted to do again.  I wanted success not just a good effort.  So I ran up those hills as best I could.  Lap time: 25:13.  (Sub-4 was gone, but sub-4:05 was still possible).

Lap 10 -  Just like last year, I was getting a little light headed and wobbly on the way out.  I couldn't talk.  I couldn't smile.  John Phelan said I looked like I was either very angry or about to cry.  I know I was inside myself and it hurt in there.  I was worried I was going to pass out.  My legs were now concrete but I knew the first half of the lap is good to me.  We get some down hills that feels good.  I worked those the best I could.  Once I got over the hills I knew I was going to complete this without walking and that is meaningful to me.  The last out and back spur was the last windy part and it was hard.  I tried to dig for anything, but I had nothing left.  I felt proud to have given my all.  Lap Time: 26:03

Stats:
Time: 4:03:28 (7:50 pace)
OA place 18th
Gender place: 7th Female!
39-under division - 6th

I was 10 minutes faster than last year, but still 7th Female. I will take it!  

I can't express how happy I am.  I trained hard. I tried to be smart. I managed the stress.  The last 10k of this race was incredibly hard and I am so proud that it did not break me.   Training works! Who knew?  :)