Archives

Run and Run Some More.

Oct17

You can’t be a runner long without hearing the expression

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Sometimes it’s funny to hear.   Sometimes it’s annoying to hear.   Sometimes, I even say it.  It really depends on the way it’s said.

But there is truth to this.   Sometimes we overthink, over analyze, and just forget to enjoy the beauty of the actual run.   This weekend was different.

There was a part of me that wanted to run my races as races and not run them the smart way to run them to put myself in best position for NYCM.   Part of me wanted to attack those hills in Bethlehem.   Part of me wanted to see how if I could have run these races better than my first year of racing.  Part of me wanted to test my legs and feel the burn in my lungs.   But I needed to remember that in 20 days, I will be standing at the start line of the NYCM and then it will be go time.

I will say though that there is something to be said about running a good race, a smart race, and a fun race with friends.   We had a blast running together.   You get to chat away the miles.    You get to take in the course a little more.   You get to stop for photos if you want and you may even meet people that you might not meet otherwise.

 

Bethlehem is a really pretty course.   It was still a very tough course and those hills are wicked.

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Wicked!

It’s funny, I the first year I ran this in 2014 I didn’t know what to expect.  I went into it with the race mentality.   I had great finish times.   In looking at my results now, I’m actually shocked.   In my age group, I was 41 for 5K, 29 for 10K, and 50th for the Half.   Although not racing this year, I still was in the the top 100’s for my age group.   I went into this in 2014 not even knowing if I could finish these races and now it’s a stepping stone for a larger race.   All that being said, I had a much better time this year.   In 2014, I ended up not only running the races by myself, but starting them and ending them alone.   I may not have ran as fast this year, but I had a much better race experience.   I had fun.   I laughed  until I cried at one point.

Life is better with friends!

I am so happy that I ran this again and would love to do it again.  Maybe with some more friends (hint. hint).

Whose in for next year?

The Good, The Bad, and the Awesome!

Mar22

I’ve run in NY many times.  Maybe not compared to some people, but a lot for me.    I’ve run enough last year to qualify for the NYC Marathon.  That being said nothing prepared me for the feeling of running the NYC Half Marathon.    It was amazing on so many levels.   I loved it so much that I’ve already signed up for two more Boro races to qualify to run it next year.   I don’t want to chance the lottery and I would love to do this run again.

Why?

It was AWESOME!

Yes, it really was.

Now there are some thing logistically that weren’t so awesome, but you’ve got to take the good with the bad.  For example:

Early wake up call

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Yup.   Early.   I needed to leave my house by 5:00.   I require time to wake up, have some coffee, eat a small breakfast, and not feel rushed.

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Then there is the fact that the start and finish line are at totally opposite locations which makes for a great race, but not so exciting when the race is over.    We decided to park at the start line and had to take the subway and then walk a bit to our car after the race.   Not really bad except it was cold and we were not really dressed for it.  On a positive note, it did give us a chance to cool down with the walk.   Plus we parked literally around the corner from Magnolia’s Bakery.   Finally though, if you’ve got a fun group to take the walk and subway with it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Magnolia Bakery

Need I say more.   Oh my.   So good!

Security.    I get it.   I really do.   There was only one entrance to the park for runners.   We had to go through metal detectors and have our stuff screened.   I get it.   I really do.   I applaud all NYRR and Police Department does to keep the runners safe.  That being said, I really think if there was someone out to do something bad, they would not pose as a runner.   I really don’t.  I was having panic attack as once we finally made it through security we had to make our way through the park to our corrals.   I honestly for the first time at any race thought I would miss the start of my corral.

That’s it for my complaints.   Got nothing.

And these things I wouldn’t even say too bad in the whole scheme of things.

Now the good parts that makes it so awesome.

When you do a big race like this there is a level of excitement that you really can’t get anywhere else.   You’ve got the news coverage.    You’ve got the huge crowds with over 20,000 runners.   Then you have the spectators and volunteers.

But what made it so special?

The course.

Really.

Honestly.

Can’t wait to do it again.

Seriously

The race starts in Central Park where you run the first few miles.  Then the magic happens because you leave the park shortly after mile 6.   You running down 7th Avenue towards Times Square.   As if that isn’t enough, you then run down 42nd Street until the West Side Highway coming out near the Intrepid.   Then you run through Lower Manhattan and cross the finish line.

You don’t have to be familiar with the city to know how awesome it would be to run through the streets.    That being said, as someone who has been to the city, driven in the traffic, and knows the congestion of all the vehicles; it’s nothing short of awesome.    I was having so much fun running these streets that I literally had to slow myself down.   The crowds in Time Square are incredible.   When I was running by, they were starting the kids 1 mile race in Time Square which just adds to the excitement of it.

I even took my phone out and took several pictures while staying on pace if I do say so myself.

 

Then if that isn’t enough, there is the finish!

The medal and the sense of accomplishment that finishing brings.

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And I would like to add one more thing.   The post race snack bag.   Some races you finish and you get an apple and a water.   Not here.   Every finisher gets their own personal bag with a big water, a Gatorade, and apple, some pretzels in a reusable clear drawstring bag.  No picture because I was too busy consuming.

What is your favorite race?

 

 

Trust In The Training!

Mar21

Trust is a funny thing.    Trust is something that needs to be earned and is sometimes hard to do.    I had to go out on the ledge and trust my coach, my training, and myself.   These are not necessarily easy things to do.   I trust my coach but trusting in ones self can be harder.  Sometimes the doubt creeps in, but I shut the door on it in New York City.

I had a great race.   I had phenomenal race.   The stars were aligned.  The sun was shining and it all came together.    I pushed the doubt and the fears to the side.   I took a leap of faith and went with it.     I started the race with the knowledge that I could do this.    I had a plan.   A plan that my coach helped me develop.   All I needed was to stick to the program and trust in my training.  I went out as planned, but almost got sidetracked early on by the 2:00 hour pace group.   They blew past me around mile 2.    At first I think that I tried to stay with them, but I stopped myself.   They were not following my plan.   They were running a different race.   I knew what I needed to do and they were not doing it.   They were going out too fast for me.   I let them go.   It was hard at first, but I had my mantra that I kept repeating to myself.   It was not a planned mantra, but it was fitting.

TRUST IN YOUR TRAINING!

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It was that simple.   I needed to trust in the hours that I’ve logged.   The miles that I’ve ran at pace.    The fact that I had done the work to set me up to do what I needed to do.   What I needed to do was not what everyone else needed to do.   So I let them go.   I trusted in my training and my ability to get it done.

I was in the zone.

A friend that I went to the half with came up to me a few miles in.    I actually said to her, “Karyn, just so you know I’m not being a Bitch.   I’m just in the zone.”    I needed to run this race by myself.   Some things are like that.   You need to do them by yourself.   This was that race for me.   I needed to focus on my pace, my calculations, and moving forward.  She understood.   (Love you, lady).

As I ran, I knew where I needed to be.   I had a pace band in my pocket that I didn’t use during the race; but had done some calculations ahead of time.   I kind of knew where I needed to be when.   I added up the time I needed to hit as the miles rose.   I was hitting my targets.  There were times that I had to reign myself in as he race was so exciting.   I was trusting in the training and not trying to bank time.

My plan was to run consistently till around mile 10 where I would pick it up a little more.  At that point my mantra became NO REGRETS.   By this I meant that no matter what, I would not have regrets because I was doing all I could.   I also meant that I would not give myself an out.   That I would continue to push it and fight for the sub 2 because the only way I would have regrets is if I backed down.   So NO REGRETS.    By mile 12, I was pushing it pretty hard but trying to make sure as to not burn up.  I knew I would be close.   I knew that I was going to need to give it all I had at the end.   So I saved a little fuel in the tank and when I hit the 20K mat, I pushed it even harder.

NO REGRETS.

You can’t have regrets if you’ve done everything that you’ve needed to do.   If you’ve given all you have.    I dug as deep as I could go and I did it!

1:58:59

A minute to spare:)

I honestly can say that if somehow I didn’t make my goal, I would have been happy with this race.  Honestly, I am not saying that because I reached my sub 2  goal.   I was telling myself that that last 3 miles.

That being said, I am over the moon with reaching it.

This was an amazing adventure.   There is more to tell, but this is enough for now.

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