So you know I completed the half obviously.... took a break that week... went back the following weekend, and did a simple 5 miles... then decided I would start fresh last week with the team... I was away the first weekend of August for my godson's big 5th Circus Big Top birthday party that we planned, decorated, etc...(which might I add was more exhausting, in a good way, than the marathon) and just didn't want to deal with coordinating running up in Saratoga, there was too much to do, and I needed the down time with the family up there... (see pictures) !!
I did the 5 mile Tuesday training run in Central Park... it was definitely interesting and different for me to run with a group. While I totally LOVE team sports and love the camaraderie of teammates, I always felt like running was definitely more of a solo thing. I really enjoyed running with the team, but found myself distracted by who was in front, who was behind, where everyone was... etc... I think maybe just the idea of keeping up was a little distracting to me. So after running with a few girls who were totally encouraging me, I found myself going a little too fast, and slowed myself down after the first half (I ran 2.5 in 26 minutes, which is a little fast for my shorter distances). I didn't have a "negative-split" as they say, but was content with my run. Stretching afterwards I over-stretched my right hamstring. So that was a little setback... and kind of made me a little mad. First the knees were hurting in June... then the Vertigo in July... now I have hamstring issues?!??!?! UGGGHHHHH.
Running in Central Park is hard. I never realized how challenging. Let's just say that...
So our training w/ the team is Tues & Saturdays (long run day). I was suppose to be at Central Park at 8am this past Saturday. Alarm went off at 6am... and I shut that thing off and went back to sleep! COME ON, Saturday, the one of two days during the week that I can actually get up at 8am - and here I am red-eyed and exhausted and not wanting to get out of bed to go for an 11 mile run first crack!!!! AND my hamstring was hurting me... Who could blame me for not getting up!?!?hahah
I got out of bed about 7:30am... was thinking, I'll get out at like 8:30 and do my own run (which they ask us to do our own work if we can't train with them)... then 8:30 rolls around and I found myself totally unmotivated... and decided that I could go out later, at dusk, when I really love to run. However, my catholic/Jewish guilt kicked in and I found myself dressed and ready to run at about 9:00...
Did some stretching, made sure the hamstring was a little warm... plotted my course on mapmyrun.com and decided I would do 10 miles (they said up to 11 miles depending) and that THAT was enough of a challenge for me that day. Just getting out of my pajamas is enough of a challenge for me on the weekends....
BUT ... as Woody Allen says, "80% of success is showing up"...
So I showed up... and I ran... and I FELT GREAT... I did my Prospect Park route, from my house, to the Park... around the loop... and then for the extra mileage, around the loop AGAIN but the other direction.
It was definitely a challenge. The longest I'd run was 8 miles before the 1/2... so this was my 2nd longest run ever. I did it... 10.1 miles in less than 2 hours (actually 1:59:44 and I didn't stop the watch when I got water 3 times)...
Coming from someone that would say at first "I don't care about times or negative splits or any of that, I doubt I'll even wear a watch".... I pay attention to my times now. Really more for water/nutrition purposes and just to see my progress. I bettered my time by 23 seconds a mile this run and from there it gets better!!
I went on the Tuesday training run last night in Central Park. A 6 miler that I was again, not looking forward to.. I think lately I've just been in a negative state of mind, going through a little depression maybe, and just not feeling like running. ALTHOUGH I do feel wonderful after I run, and that's what's getting me out there.
I got to the park early, and of course, it starts to pour rain. You could see it was going to pass, so I stayed there, under a tree and read my running magazine (yes, I've hit the point of buying a running magazine!).. and waited for the group... Slowly people showed up, smaller group, but faces that were familiar to me. Another girl was talking about how she's been unmotivated, but usually runs about a 9-10 minute mile... Everyone else is fast. To me. 8-9 minute milers, and though I'd love to run that fast, I just don't think it's in me, which is FINE. So I figure I'll be the last in the group, with another girl that's on our team and actually has MS. A few people on the team have MS, which is a totally humbling thing for me to realize. If they can go through this challenge with all they are facing, I surely can stop complaining about my dizziness, knees and hamstrings and just RUN.
WELL, did I surprise myself last night. Not only was I NOT the last to come in, but I ran a 9:45 minute mile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy Moly!!!! Finished in 59 minutes (something about 59 in my times that keeps repeating)... and was so HAPPY after the run that I ascended on the group that had already returned clapping and jumping and I think they thought I was a little koo-koo! hahaha
So the weeks continue. THIS Saturday - 13 miles of training run... funny that mileage has now become TRAINING! hahah
I add two training days this week (Thursday & Sunday) and hope to complete all my runs and feel good and healthy.
That's all for now. Thanks for sharing my journey...
xoxo
Curly
