Running for many, myself included, is about so much more than the actual act of running.
Yes, I run to run. I run for the peace of mind it brings me. I run for the calories it burns. I run because when I’m not complaining about it, I do actually like it. (If your a runner, you get that).
One of the best parts of running are the friends you meet along the way. When running with friends, you tend to talk about anything and everything. You get up early for races together. You log the miles together and you show up for each other.
I started the race with one of these friends from my running circle. We took the early morning van together and were both in the same wave and corral. We didn’t plan to run together, but meetup when we were done. Then find our way home.
As we were waiting for the corral to open, we get a text.
While NY has massive crowds that are amazing, this was even better. It also was the perfect spot, because by that time in the half you just want to be done. Your close, but not that close.
Anyway, it was a goal. Not to get to finish, but to get to mile 11 and find them.
Pure joy.
Funny thing about this too…… they were just as excited. That is the beauty of running friends.
Then after they saw me and shortly after Jen, they made their way to the finish area to meet up after we were done.
Besides the absolute joy of seeing them, it also was a relief to Jen and I who are not experts on subways and trains. So we followed the experts who found a place for us to go for late lunch which was heartedly devoured.
After lunch we made our way to the train station to make our way home.
I am not lying when I say having them come into the city for the race was actually the highlight of the day for me.
The only thing that we forgot to do is to take a group photo!
Going into this training cycle, I had thought I would train for 2:45 and on good day maybe faster. As we know, training was not what it should have been but still was enough.
So I am happy that without following the plan, i still managed a 2:50 half.
Was it the race I dreamed of running? Nope.
Was it still a great day? Yup
So here’s the run down…..
Early morning meet up for a Van go to the start. Like, early, early. Van meetup was 5:15 AM. Ugh.
So up at 4ish and off we went.
Then wait, wait, wait…. And try to stay warm.
The weather was cold and a little windy, but it could have been worse. I know that I run hot, so even with the cold I layered. Shorts with long socks, short sleeved shirt with running sleeves and a running vest. It was just right for running.
I did bag drop off knowing that it would be good to have warm clothes at the end and glad I did because it was cold.
As normal for me, I went out too fast. I really didn’t have a plan, but figured that I should keep my pace around 12. Few miles in the beginning couldn’t help myself.
I did not train at 11 minute paces. I did not train.
Then around mile 9 ish, my arms started to feel heavy. I was getting worried and while I hadn’t been adding calcium during training runs, I felt that I needed to add some. I have learned it is better to be overly cautious than to wait for harsher symptoms or a crash. And you can see mile 10 is what it was, but I did bounce back.
It was a good day, a great race and there’s more to come in this story. But this is enough for tonight.
After months of “training” tomorrow is the day. Weather seems like it will be on track for a good day. It will be cool, but I would rather run in the cold than bake in the heat.
Logistics are in place. Van to the drop off location is set to leave at 5:15 AM. Downside of NYC races is the very early start of the day especially when you are in last wave. It is what it is though.
Outfit all picked out. This time of year, it is always back and forth in what to pack…..
Will I be too cold?
Will I be too hot?
I’ve decided I would rather be too cold once I start running especially since I usually run hot. Checking a bag, so not so worried about needing to be overly warm. I will bring sweatshirt and sweatpants to put on after.
Once thing I always do for some reason is look up my bib number as an angel number. Sometimes it means nothing. Sometimes it’s ho hum. Then sometimes it is like this….
I’ll take it. Fingers crossed…
What is different about planning for this race is there is no planning when to take my meds. While bringing extra calcium for just in case, this is just on the side of caution. I haven’t added extra calcium/calcitriol in months. It’s nice not to have to think about.
Bib pick-up is secured. Van to start is set up. Talking with friend on how we will take the train home. all is set.
Training has been what it has been. The weather in NJ has not been cooperating for running outside. My garage treadmill has been unreachable due to car in garage. Even the gym has been to packed and treadmills are not always available.
This doesn’t mean that I’ve been doing nothing. It just means that I’ve been doing my own thing. I have a training plan loaded in Training Peaks.
Have I been following it?
Nope.
I’ve been looking at it more as a guide and then doing my own thing.
Today, I wanted to run a real run. I had thought about going outside, but there is still so much snow and ice. The roads and sidewalks are really not that clear. So while warm enough to run outside, I took myself to the gym.
At the gym, I ran into a badass running friend. We got to talking about what we are training for right now. I told her how I had the NYC Half in a month, but wasn’t really following a plan but loosely training. She said she was just talking to another person about the No Training Plan Training Plan.
It hit me…. That’s it.
I know the reason too as I said it to her. Running a half doesn’t scare me anymore. Yes, I need to train and run to finish. That being said; I know that even on days where it will be hard, I pretty much know I will get to the finish line.
Now I’m not saying this to sound like I can show up and finish well or have a pretty race. I just know that for the most part, I will finish. Especially when finish time is no the goal.
I had thought going into this training that I would want to do around 2:45 for this half. I no longer think that is where I will be. Who knows though because I still have a month of training.
Today’s training run was to run 60 minutes straight. No stopping. No walking. Just run and see what happened.
So I did.
We shall see……
I will say though that I am signed up for a July event that will scare me enough to train. It’s only a 10K, but it is a Spartan 10K that I am doing with 2 of my boys and others. That will require a different training. As will a September Sprint triathlon.
I had been thinking about challenges/goals for the coming year. I wasn’t sure what it would be.
The goal came to me.
I had forgotten that I put in for the NYC Half lottery. I was reminded, when I got the email.
I wasn’t sure how happy I was because logistically NYC events are a bit of a pain. Worth it, but still a pain. The exciting part is that 2 of my running friends also got in. So misery loves company.
I’ve been thinking about goals for event now too. I’m thinking if I could finish the Bethlehem Running Festival in 2:41:08 after running 3 other races that weekend, I would train for a possible 2:30 half. We shall see. We shall see.
Then after wrapping my head around that, two of my suns have roped me into a 6K Spartan race. Fortunately that won’t be till summer. So one goal at a time.
When I started training for the Brooklyn Half, I thought realistically that a 2:45 was not out of range with enough training. My last two prior half marathons have been just under 3 hours. So it was not unreasonable to think with push and training, it could happen. It was a reasonable A goal.
As you know, training had been going well right up until I hit a few speed bumps with my calcium. I missed some runs due to not feeling up to it and then there was the whole fiasco of the calcium crash.
In speaking to my doctor, she was advising on the side of caution. She thought it would be prudent not to run. In talking though, she said if I didn’t push and did a lot of walking that would be for the best.
That was the plan…..
So how did it go……. Here’s the recap
I prepared the night before. Carefully not only laying out my clothes, but also getting all calcium/meds ready to go. Taking extra just in case. I decided to go back to adding powdered calcium to my water. Thinking that I would take plain water at water stops which worked well. On top of that, I took a dose of my calcitriol/calcium at 4:00 am before leaving for city. I also upped my normal calcitirol dose at this time.
The morning of the race started off with alarm not going off leaving me 20 minutes to get ready which is why it is good to have everything ready to go. Nothing was forgotten.
Get into the city to find that the parking that NYRR said was available was not in deed available. That provided some added stress as we were parking at the finish line near Coney Island and then needed to take train to Prospect Park for the Start. We were lucky to find a small lot that actually was very reasonable at $20. Dawn was right when she said, “they could have charged double and we would gladly have paid.”
Then off to the trains to go to Prospect start. Get to the Corral for our 8:20 start time. Before the race started, I took my normal dose of calcium/calcitriol. Then go to start my watch and realize that for some reason my Garmin did NOT charge!!!!!!!
Now I wasn’t running for time. I was planning to listen to my doctor, but I’m still a runner and like my tracking. I also thought it would be good to keep me in check as I do tend to start off too fast in big races. I also run faster than I can maintain or should be, but it was what it was.
I was running all on feel.
It was strange not to have a watch to watch. Although out of habit, I looked at the blank screen several times during the race. I took off at what I felt was a comfortable pace. I was feeling good. Then at the 5k water stop, I saw the 2:45 pace group and realized thats not where I should be.
I had to remind myself that my goal this race what not so much a time, but to keep my levels in the zone. I also realized that the conditions were very similar to the day I had the big crash. It was HOT. It was HUMID. The heat is not my friend. I was sweating.
With exercise everyone burns through calcium, but their bodies usually replenish by taking from bones. No worries though because this is a normal process and is actually good for bone health. For those of us with Hypoparathyroidism, this does not happen. There is no calcium regulation. So as our body burns up the calcium through sweat and heavy exercise, it must be manual added with our supplements and meds. Downside is that we just have to make educated guesses when to add.
Yesterday I hit it right – with the added meds and I do think the added calcium in the water. My doctor said it takes about 20 minutes for the meds to hit which is why it is important to add before feeling low. So thats what I did.
So I ran by feel. I walked a lot. I reminded myself that I did a lot of walking in training. When I walked, I power walked. When I ran, I ran by feel.
As you can see I did start off too fast. I adjusted. There were times that I thought I could/should run and push myself. I reminded myself that I needed to finish a smart race. A race that was more about being smart. I had no idea what time I was going to finish, but honestly this was my B goal.
It was a good day. A day to prove that I can do hard things.
Maybe the secret isn’t being the best of the best.
Maybe the secret isn’t running harder or faster.
Maybe the secret isn’t anything other than…..
Just to keep plugging along. To keep moving. To not give up. To just keep moving.
Down to 6 weeks till Brooklyn.
It’s not exciting or fancy, but I am plugging along.
That is what I’m doing.
It’s not bold or exciting, It’s just getting runs, biking and cross training.
It’s just not giving up.
Just plugging along. Doing my thing. I’ve been “following” a training plan, but I’ve been following my way. Maybe doing a indoor bike run instead of mid week run. Changing up runs, but getting them done.
Sunday, I went for my long run. Normally a long run would be done at a much slower pace, but I had a plan. I would walk the first mile. Then I would do 5 miles at what I might think of doing at the half and then slow for last mile. For the most part, I stuck to the plan.
Mission accomplished.
Here is the thing though, I needed to remind myself to control my pace…. And I did. I ran the paces that I wanted. The only change I made was was the last mile. Instead of walking it, I ran like it was the finish and then walked the last quarter mile.
The best part of this run is that I felt like I could keep going. So there is that.
Today’s Facebook memories from 9 years ago were filled with NYC Half Marathon.
A sub 2 half…. Right under the wire at 1:58:59
This was a race that I worked with amazing coach to achieve. This was a race I trained hard for.
It was hard.
It wasn’t easy.
I wasn’t sure that I would be able to do it.
Yet, I did.
Now mind you this was 9 years ago…. 8 months before my thyroid surgery that left me Hypopara.
Here’s the thing though….. I know due to getting older, the whole Hypopara thing, and the extra pounds that I am no longer chasing the sub w half.
I get that. I really do, but what was hard and impossible then became reachable and possible. That doesn’t mean that I can’t still do hard things. It’s just that I think I forgot it.
This was a good reminder. Not just for my running and fitness, but for life in general.
I did not run it this year, but happily tracked several friends who did. It’s nice to be on the support team only tracking. Although I must say for a half, the NYC half is a great race. This year they had excitement of running over the Brooklyn Bridge. To to say that made me a little jealous.
That being said, even if I was scheduled to run it I would have been sidelined as I ended up having a stomach bug. You can run through a lot, but a stomach bug isn’t one…. At least not for me. I didn’t even make it out for my 6 mile run as I was passed out on the couch all day.
After sleeping all day, then going to be for a solid 10 hours, I woke up feeling better. I took the day off of work. My appetite wasn’t total back but did have energy even though I had some symptoms of low calcium this morning. It was a good day to catch up on cleaning out and up in a way you can only do when on one is home to get in your way… LOL
Anywho…. Back to the running……
I’ve been thinking and looking at my last few half marathon times. They have all been in right around 3 hours.
So the question is can I do better? Do I want to push to do better? And if so, I need to keep going with my training.
Some might say that I have been doing this for a long time without reaching some of my goals.
Maybe that’s true.
Maybe it’s not.
My goals have changed along the way. My thoughts of what is necessary has changed. What and where I want to be has changed. I know my body has changed and what it can do too. Always moving forward though. Maybe no longer reaching for that golden ring, but happy with the consolation prize. Bobbing and weaving, even when the finish line keeps moving.
So maybe it’s not about reaching the goal, but continuing to reach for it without giving up.
Tomorrow starts my 16 week training plan for the Brooklyn Half. As of now I do not have a goal for the race other than to run it well. To me that will mean to go into this event trained by following my training plan. To continue with the cross training to hopefully also go into this race injury free.
At the 8 week mark, I will access where I am with my training and adjust training for the goal.
So here we go……
Last time I ran Brooklyn in 2015, I ran it in 2:14:47. That’s not happening or anything even close to that. That being said, my last half was 2:59:18. So, honestly, I am starting my training with 3 hours in mind.
Never giving up…. Never baking down…. Still moving….
The Accidentally Running Mama 