Tag Archive | NYC Marathon

Living the Dream!

As you read yesterday, I ran the Staten Island Half this past weekend. What I didn’t mention in this post though is that I did it! Now I don’t mean I did the Half because you know that already. I mean that I completed my 9+1 plan!!!!!

Words truly do not express how I feel about this. It is like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders as this has been months in the making having started this journey in January with Fred Lebow Half and ending with the Staten Island Half. The cherry on top is that not only did I qualify for running THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON in 2016, but also the NEW YORK CITY HALF!!

Now, I know that I could not have completed this task alone. I would not have been able to do it. As the saying goes, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” In this case, I got by with a lot of help from my friends. First of all this is the amazing group of women who inspired me to push myself not only in my running but to push myself to dream of doing things I would have never thought possible for me. These are the women who showed me that with hard work and dedication I can do anything I set my mind to. These are the women who took a newbie under their wings when I didn’t even know anything about needing actual pace for a race. Remember my story of my first half? I have to admit that although there is still so much that I don’t know, I am no longer a newbie. They helped me in ways they don’t even know by never making me feel less because I am slower than them or didn’t know what I was doing. They shared themselves and their knowledge so willingly with me. These are also the women who without making it so fun to run, I would have stopped. Yes, I now love to run. Yes, I now need to run, but that all started with this group of women who got me to this point. There is also the logistics factor because with them I was able to make it to these races. Yes, I probably could have done it without them, but I’m not really sure that I would have wanted to or it would have been so easy to do. These are also the women that I have so much respect, admiration, and love for.

As we all know, I did not grow up dreaming of one day running the New York City Marathon. I was someone who grew up hoping not to be picked last in gym class, but that is the beauty of growing up. You realize that all that doesn’t matter because you no longer need to wait to be picked for anything life has to offer. You create your own future, dreams and if you work hard enough anything is possible. I may have come late to the party of wanting to run the NYCM, but I have now made that dream a possibility. It is in my reach and I just need to wait because it will happen. Although, I’m really not one to sit around and wait for things to happen anymore. So in the meantime, I’ll be out chasing other dreams.

What are your dreams?

Friday Five – Why Do I Want to Run NYCM

Feb27

Friday Five Link-up with by Eat, Pray, Run DC, Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What?

Today’s Theme

It’s a Friday Free For All

So, I’m going with….

5 Reasons I want to run the NYC Marathon

I figure since I’m talking about my 9 plus 1 races so much and my quest to run it in 2016,

that maybe I should ponder why I want to do it in the first place.

1. It’s not easy to get into it and I do love a challenge. For your average runner like me to run the NYCM, you have two options. You can get in by raising money for charity or you can run the 9 plus 1 to qualify. I have chosen the 9 plus 1 therefore I will by running my 9 NYC Road Runner Races and volunteer at one event.

2. I drank the kool-aid! When listening and following your fellow MRTT Mama’s on their journey of running in 2014, I realized how amazing it would be to not just be cheering someone on but to actually experience it first hand. I am running many of these races with an amazing group of MRTT Mama’s and we are having fun! You know that I feel fun is important.

4. I think the way to show your children that they can do anything is to show them by example. If I can do anything I set my mind to (with in reason), they will know that they can too!

5. To be able to say,

“I ran the NYC Marathon!”

Now time for some puppy love

Readjusting Goals and Expectations

Feb17

With all goal setting, it is important along the way to take stock of how things are going and how expectations are meeting reality.

This is where I am today.

One of my goals for this year was to have a Bib a month. I was very clear in my goals that Bibs would not carry over and only one a month would count on this. Well it is time to readjust this goal seeing as I feel like I live in the Frozen Tundra and there are no races this month. More to the point the races that were available, I could not do. I wasn’t overly concerned because my MRTT group was hosting a Frozen Booty event. I was going to do the 5K. First we had a problem with the location and it was decided to be less formal event at a local park. Then the weather took a sever dive and it was determined that everyone would run their own race and post their times. I still did my 5K. I even did it outside because I really, really, really dislike the treadmill. My time was not spectacular, but I did it. I finished in 31:03. Actually not bad considering I walked at some points because I didn’t feel like landing on my behind in the snow. But I did it. I also plan to count this as I submitted my time to the National Chapter of MRTT. Official enough for me.

One of my other goals for the year is to run a 5K in 25 minutes. As I’ve said before, my PR for a 5K is 27 minutes. I had hoped to know this goal out at the March 1rst 5K, but I really don’t see it happening. I’ve been running on the treadmill, but I hate the treadmill. This is not to say that I’m not going to try, but I think realistically I hopefully can reach this goal later in the year. This is not the only 5K that I will run this year and this is only a goal at a local 5K. If I don’t make it this year, I can always try again next.

As for my goal of qualifying for the NYCM, I do seem to be on track for that one. I’ve already done one race and I’m registered for 5 more. Along the way, my cohort and I are trying to make sure that we also run enough of the Borough series races to automatically qualify for the NYC Half Marathon next year. Wouldn’t that be nice. We’ve already got one qualifying event under our belt and are registered for others. With any luck, things will fall into place and next year we can run the half and full. That would be amazing to say the least! So must keep on running to make sure that happens.

It is nice too that I can already say that I’ve reached a goal by running a trail half this year. Thanks Dawn:)

So as of now, I am satisfied with where I am in my training and my goals.

and

No, I haven’t forget the 2 hour Half. Just not sure of when.

How are you doing with yours?

Why Not?

Nov30

The night before the Philadelphia Marathon one of my MRTT Mama’s asked me,

“How did you decide that Philly would be your first marathon?”

To be honest, I really never put any thought into it. I, actually, thought that maybe one day since I’m so close to NY that my big moment would be the NYC Marathon. If you remember my musings in my post You Can’t Always Get What You Want, I really thought and planned to run my first full in 2015. Then a funny thing happened. I finished my Hat Trick and Philly which was in the far recess of my mind moved front and center. Then I thought about it. Took a long training run and jumped right in. As much as a planner I am, this seems to be how I end up at the starting line more times than not. I hear about something. I think to myself that sounds like a fun challenge.

I think, “Why not” and dive right in.

Before I even went to Philly though, I had already decided that I would try to do the 9 + 1 in 2015 which would guarantee me entry in 2016. For those who were like me and didn’t know, the NYC Marathon is not a race you can just sign up for and it is not an easy road to get into it.

For normal people like me, you have 3 options.

Be very lucky enough to win entrance through the lottery
Do the 9 + 1 Plan (run 9 NYRR qualifying race and volunteer at 1 or raise $1K)
Run for charity and raise a specific amount which is usually a decent amount

That’s it. Unless you are an elite athlete which I am obviously not. There is no gauarnteed entry to a Soccer Mom which is kind of sad as we are the ones who really have to juggle it all to get to the starting line. Now my running cohort did complete the 9 + 1 in 2014, so she is guaranteed entry to 2015 marathon. Yeah, Dawn! I came to the party late. Very late. So I set my goals on running 2016 and just being a supportive friend in 2015.

Then a funny thing happened on Thanksgiving. Over dinner, I was talking with my parents and hubby about Philly. Someone made mention of me running the NYC marathon one day. I had to explain the process of getting into the marathon and how you couldn’t just sign up. When I said the only way to get in for next year was to raise money for charity. NO one seemed to think that would be a problem They all thought and said, “You could do that!” So now the seed has been planted. This one may not go further than the seed, but I have been looking online for charity options which will be posted in January. This one I don’t think I can just dive right in as normal.

So only time will tell.

I will run NY one day.

I just don’t know when that day will be.

Either way, it will be a fun ride till I get there.

Either way, I still think it would be fun to run the 9 + 1 races next year too.

The Runner’s Superbowl

Nov2

I’ve never really been a sports person. I never really got the excitement of watching people run around bases or down a field with a ball. I just don’t get it. Never having played sports in high school (probably because I couldn’t), I really never got into any of it. But today I might actually get why people so get excited about watching sports they are not participating in.

My sport of choice – Running.

Today was every runners Superbowl.

I sat here watching people that I don’t know cross the finish line of the New York City Marathon. Watching, cheering, and inspired. Not only was I watching on tv, I was even tracking several racers that I know too. I was nervous. I was excited. It wasn’t the elite runners that got me feeling this way either. Although I am in awe of them. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for members of my local Mom’s Run This Town (MRTT) group to finish. We had several moms running and a few husbands too. I don’t even know some of these people except in cyber world although I may have seen them in passing at a few events. Some of the Mom’s though I do know. Some I’ve run with, some I’ve baked cakes for, and some I’ve done races with. It didn’t matter if I knew them personally or not, we were a team today.

As I said before, I really have never been part of a team. I decided that I like it. Our local chapter of MRTT Facebook group was blowing up with excitement of us tracking them. I wasn’t alone in my excitement either. We were cheering for them from home even if they didn’t know it. We were concerned about how the weather would effect them. We were proud of them every step of the way. We wanted so badly for them to have a good race and cross the finish line. They all did.

I will let you in on a secret though. I would bet and bet a lot if one of these women had not crossed the finish line, that they would have been met with nothing but sincere condolences, virtual hugs, and words of encouragement. That’s what a team does for their teammates. Not until today, did I realize that I really had become part of a team. I am a MRTT Mama runner. Yes, running is an individual sport, but that does not mean that you are in this alone.

So my words of advice to you….

Find a local running group that you connect with. All running groups are not created equally, but with the right one you will be amazed at how far you can go. I firmly 100% believe that if I had not joined this group, I would not have come as far as I have in my running. I’ve made wonderful friends. Not just running friends, but real friends. I’ve been inspired by their passion, dedication, and bravery. Yes, there is bravery in running. You have to be brave to not only start running and sign up for a race, but also be brave to know when it is time to give your body a rest and pull from an event or even stop running until your body is ready. I, actually, think you have to be more brave to do the later. Either way, it is nice to have support of people who get the craziness of running.

You tell a friend, your feet hurt, you’ve got bad blisters or severe muscle pain from running, they will look at you like your crazy and tell you to stop running. But you tell your fellow running friends the same thing and they will give you words of encouragement and understanding that only another runner can give you. It’s a beautiful thing.

Yes, you can run, train, and go to events without the benefit of a running group; but why would you want to! Your running group may be an informal group too (some people you share your passion with or an online group you follow). But there really is nothing better than a group of like minded people sharing their passion that will help get you to the next level.

Do you belong to a Running Group and does it help motivate you?

Can’t Always Get What You Want

Sep16

As you know by now, I started on this journey that I’m on by total chance. I was NEVER that athletic kid. I was never the one picked first or even second (third, forth, ect) in gym class. I never dreamed of running races of any types. Then sometimes things present themselves to you and you begin to think, “Yes, I would love to do that!” That’s what started it all. I never would have done my first Tri if it weren’t for someone asking.

Such a thing happened to me this week. I had heard of a potential opportunity to possibly be able to run this years 2014 New York City Marathon on a charity team. It was only a possibility but seemed so real and in my grasp. I plotted out how to take my Hat Trick training up a notch to Marathon training. I will also not lie that the thought of actually running 26 miles In NY was (is) both beyond frightening and thrilling. I was literally moments away from signing up. I sat down to register, when I got the email that the opportunity was no longer available.

Was I disappointed?

No doubt.

Was I relieved?

absolutely

Am a I a little sad?

of course.

Am I still dreaming of the possibility?

You bet!

I honestly don’t know if I will ever run the NY City Marathon. I might. It could happen. What is amazing to me is that I am actually at a point where I even think I could run a Marathon with training. There was a time only two short years ago where I didn’t think that I would even complete a 5K. Now, I’m running all kinds of things. It’s amazing how things change if you want them to.

I think the blessing in disguise here will be that when I do finally run a Marathon which I think will be in 2015, I will we be able to go into it feeling more confident and not rushed in my training. I am also a firm believer in that things happen for a reason. We may not always know the reason, but that is just the way life is and there really is no point questioning it. So even though I was not able to get in this time, I will support my friends who were able to get into the race and cheer them on every step of their journey.

The Accidentally Running Mama

Run, Bike, Swim and Have a Life!