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Where Do We Go From Here?

Mar9

2016

Looking back to look ahead.   I’m ready for that now:)

2016 was a big year with lots of big event, small events, and lots of miles!   I had some lofty goals for 2016.   I had some attainable goals.   I had some reach goals too.   Overall, I think that I did good and I have a lot to be proud of, but how did I do with those goals that I threw down the gauntlet for?

2016 Goals

1.  My first big event of the year will be the New York City Half Marathon.   I’m going to throw the gauntlet down and say that I would like to do this race as a sub 2:00 event.   I don’t care if it is 1:59:59, I really want this.   I hear amazing things about this course.   I know NY crowds are awesome.   So this is the place I want to do it at.

Well I wasn’t kidding.   I came in at 1:58:59.   I had literally a minute to spare!!!   This was a great race and not just because I met my goal.   Running through NY Streets is an amazing experience.   I think I was able to make my goal not just because of my trianing but due to NY.   The crowds are amazing.   The feeling of running through Times Square and all the other iconic roadways makes for a great experience.   I would love one day to do this race again at a slower pace just to enjoy it at a slower pace.

NYCHalf2

2.  Then I plan to build my endurance up and slow down to train for the Dirty German 50K which I already signed up to do in March.   I have no time goal for this, other than I want to finish it.   I want to have fun with it and I don’t want to die doing it.   Seems like a good goal to me:)

Going into Dirty German if you remember or are new to my blog, I had spotty training due to spraining my ankle on a night run.   I was able to keep up with my cardio with swimming and stationery bike, but it wasn’t the same.   That being said, I still felt ready for this event (not race because I wasn’t racing it!).   I did it.   7  hours, 7 minutes, and 18 seconds.   Not a bad day at all.   It was such an accomplishment and I really was so happy to cross that finish line!    I think this is another event that I wouldn’t mind getting another crack at as I would like to go in with more confidence than the spotty training gave me.   Who knows in a few years, when a friend and I both have our kids secured in colleges it might happen.   (hint, hint)

DG5

3. Last year I didn’t run a lot of 5K’s.    This year since I’m not chasing the 9 plus 1, I would like to do more.   Since I’m already chasing a sub 2 half, I would like to see if I could chase that 25 minute 5K.   We will see.   We will see.

This is one that I didn’t hit the mark on, but I certainly gave it all I had to try.   I ran my fastest 5K to date at 26:26.   This was a 5K that I didn’t put a lot of thought into and that I almost didn’t run.   It was a spur of the moment decision.   It was hot if I remember correctly, but I ran like I was on fire.    I’m not sure if I’m topped out at this 5K speed, but I still dream of a 25 minute 5K.   Maybe one day.

4. Then lastly, I want to run the NYCM STRONG.   I want to finish this race knowing that I gave it all I got and couldn’t do anymore.    Ideally, I would like to do this in 4:30 WITHOUT walking.   I don’t know why the walking bothers me, but it does since it is not part of my plan.

I may not have run the NYCM I dreamed of, but I can sit here and say that I did run it strong.   I walked.   I walked a decent amount which will happen when you run the first half like a half marathon without thinking of the last 13 miles..   But I still ran it strong in the sense that I kept pushing.   I didn’t give up.   I did what I needed to do to get to the finish line.   Can’t really argue that is not a strong race.   It might not have been a smart race, but I ran it strong:)

nycm16

5. Lastly, I want to stay healthy.   I want to reach these goals without injury or pain outside of the normal pain that comes with running these distances.Oh and while doing all of this, run 1000 miles again for the year:)

Running wise, I did stay healthy.   I had the normal wear and tear that comes with pushing your body to the limits, but nothing requiring intervention and that new shoes couldn’t fix.    I did manage to squeak in and hit the 1,000 miles for the year coming in just at the 1,000 mark.   Nothing to sneeze at.

 

Looking back, I have much to be proud of.    Now it’s time to look forward.

 

Here are the numbers for the year…..

NYCM   11/06/16   4:56:04

Runner’s World Half Marathon    2:24:54

Runner’s World 10K    10/14/16     1:09:44

Runner’s World 5K     10/14/16          34:25

Sandy Hook Sprint Triathlon        9/11/16         1:59:00        *Run1 -21:48       1:13:50     19:12

*swim cancelled due to unsafe water conditions.   Added 3 mile run*

SP 5K                                                    6/23/16              26:26

NYRR Queens 10K                           6/18/16                59:14

Dirty German 50K                           05/15/16       07:07:18

St Barts 5K                                           4/9/16            27:20

NYC HM                                               3/20/16       1:58:59

Wathung Winter Tral 10K                 2/6/16       1:044:25

Watchung Winter Trail Marathon  1/19/16     6:30:08

 

 

Friday Five – The Trail vs. The Road

May20

Today I am joining in on the Friday Five with Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed Up for What and Mar at Mar on the Run.

5 Ways a Trail Race is SOOOO very different than a road race.

No matter the distance, running on the trails is so much different than running on Satan’s Tar as my friend refers to the road.   The only real similarity is that your feet are moving, but running trails has a whole different feel than running on the road besides the obvious surface area.  Some of these things may just apply to me too:)

The Vibe

Yes, road races can and often do have a “party” atmosphere but underneath it there is a different feel.   At the start line, most people are checking their Garmin, thinking race strategy, and just the underline tension of trying to meet a sub 2 half or goal.  For me,  I’ve experienced none of that at my trail races.   Now this may be on me as usually when I do a trail race, I take the wait and see approach.   My goal for the 50K was to finish and not to die while finishing.   Lofty goals, I know.    But I also know that trails are different and even the same trail on a different day will need to be run different.     Now if somehow I were to go back to the Dirty German again next year (ahem, just saying), I would still have the same goals but maybe with the added goal to be more consistent on the second loop.

The Aid Stations

Oh my God, the aid stations.   There is no comparison here.   None.   The aid station on a road race is all about efficiency.   Getting runners in and getting them out in a seemless move.   In a trail race, it is a smorgasbord of goodies.    Peanut M&M’s, Twizzlers, PBJ sandwiches, SODA, and so many other things.   I will say my favorites are soda and M&M’s.   Yummy!     I think I finished my 50K on sugar alone:):)

aiddirtygerman

(Photo from Dirty German Website)

The Bathrooms

Ok, they are basically the same.   A line of Port-a-Potties.   The difference is on the course.   Now maybe I shouldn’t go here, but I will……    Yes, on any given race you will see a man run behind a tree or next to a bridge or what ever.    I always hate it because I think it is unfair to us woman who don’t have the luxury.    Well on more than one occasion on the first loop, I saw two different women running in front of me who veered to the side to squat behind a tree.   Don’t judge.

Walking

I’m not sure why but I often feel like walking is looked down upon in road races.   Not by me as I have yet to complete a marathon where I haven’t walked and I’ve had some half marathons where I’ve also needed to walk.  It happens.    It’s just not the “norm.”   That being said, walking is expected during parts of a trail race.   My coach even pointed out that there are some places on the trail that walking is really more efficient and ” everyone walks, except for the elite few.”   Going into every trail race/run I’ve done, I knew that there would be parts that I would walk.   It is the nature of the beast.   The only problem is to make sure to start running again!

DG3

The Spectators

If you are someone who feeds off the crowds at a road race to push through, running a trail race may not be for you.   I say this because outside of the start/finish line and the aid stations, there are no crowds.    You for the most part on on your own.   As you can see there are not lines of people there to cheer you on, but those there do!  Yes, you will start with a crowd of people but the further you run the more spread out the runners become.   I started with the crowd and by the time I was nearing the end of my first lap there were only a few people near me.    The second lap I was for the most part on my own.   Be prepared for some alone time which I tend to like.   If you don’t like that make sure to have a running buddy then.

I will say that I am a mixture of both.   I do love the trails, but I also like the road.  No matter if your a road runner, trail runner, or a bit of both there is enough roads and trails to make us all happy.

Which are you?

Tick Tock Tick Tock Goes The Cuckoo Clock

May13

Just two more days and really at this point of the evening it really is one more day.   Two days till I attempt to run a 50K.   Somehow this really seemed like an amazingly great idea a few months ago.   Today not so much.   Today is the more, “What was I thinking?” kind of day.

What was I thinking

I usually get asked two questions about my upcoming race.   The first one is how far in miles is a 50K.   I had to look it up because although I knew it was 31 point something, I really didn’t know what the point was either.   It is 31.7 miles.    At some point it doesn’t matter except at the end when you are counting them down.

The second question is why?    We’ve been through this before.   Why not?

You think I would be nervous.   You think I’d be packed.   You think I would have read through all the information they sent.    I don’t even have directions to the hotel mapped out.  I will get to all of these things shortly I’m sure.    I’m actually pretty calm for some reason.   I guess you might refer to it as the calm before the storm.    Besides at this point I’m in for the LONG haul which hopefully will be only 31.7 miles baring any wrong turns.   Again, this is why I need to read the information and look at the map.   I can’t just follow the crowd because how do I know they won’t leave me in the dust or even that they know where they are going.

As far as goals, my number one and really only goal is to finish.   I would, of course, like to finish well but finishing is number one.   And as far as what I mean by finishing well, I do not mean winning the Cuckoo Clock the winners get.   I mean to finish strong.   To finish like I trained for this.   To finish without feeling like I want to die.  (Why am I doing this again?)   I would also like to make sure to finish before the twelve and half hour alloted time.   I think I should be ok as when I did the trail marathon in January I was at six and half hours.   That gives me a nice cushion:)

But it is time to get prepared.    It’s time to open the door to utra running and see what that is all about.    I would like to say that I will be one and done, but I said that about marathons too and I’ve already run 2 more than I said I would not counting NYCM coming in November.    And I won’t lie in the back of my mind I’m already toying with a 50 miler for the year I turn 50 which thankfully is a few years away.    Besides, I really should just get through this weekend before I start talking smack!!

Either way it’s going to be a great time filled with lots of laughs and good company since there are many BAMR’s going from my running group.   Some are doing 25k, some 50k, and the truly insane ones are doing 50 miles but insanity is a wonderful thing!  The support of these women is something I wish everyone experiences in their life in some shape or form.

Friends

So I’m off to do all the things that I need to do, but you can count on hearing more about this not matter how it turns out.

What are you doing this weekend?