Not missing, but slight inaction

• Wed, Jan 27: Last Wednesday GTS!! Supposed to be an easy 30min run, but I had to beg off as I was sick!

I might have mentioned in late December/early January that I was fighting off a cold that turned out to be an upper respiratory tract infection. It took a while, but with antibiotics etc. I was definitely feeling better. Last week, it was more or less just an annoying cough that kept dragging on. Then, Sunday, I started coughing more and what with the scratchy throat.... yep, you guessed it. Sick again!!! Sucks!!!

Doctor Tuesday, antibiotics again. I can't stand taking liquid medicine at the moment, so back to Mucinex and tablet Vicodin for the chest pain. This is a bit of a blow.

However..... I still went to meet up with everyone before their run, with my clothes and shoes in hand just in case I was miraculously feeling ok enough to run. Got my I (heart) Bk shirt from Yasi to wear to the inspiration dinner. Bought enough gel fuel to see me through the miles. Hung out with the teammates for a few minutes before they went off to run and I dragged myself home to rest.

In the end, I have decided that this just adds to the adventure! I will be taking a positive attitude and sense of adventure with me to Miami, and on the road for 26.2 miles. Sunday, 6:15am, is what I've been training for all these months. I will be running, so send me all your good thoughts and love. . I look forward to my next blog post being via text to say my time and that I've done it!!! Onward to Sunday!!!!!

Last long Saturday run

• Sat, Jan 23: 6 miles, 1hr 20 mins!

For our last long Saturday run, "all" we had to do was 6 miles. When we started, we couldn't imagine saying only 6 miles to do. :) And now look at us. Look at me!!! This practice was good for a couple of reasons. :)
- Again, only 6 miles.
- I was right on target for a comfortable 13min mile pace, which was great!! That's even after having to double back slightly because I dropped my glove.
- Phoenix and Disney alums were there, which meant my running buddies Yasi and Nasser came out with their shiny medals!! :) It was great seeing them, now I just have to hold up the side. lol

Afterwards, we all got to have hot chocolate in the park (note to self: do NOT have chocolate after a run). Then Nasser, Yasi and I got to hang out for a bit, which was great! We even went to Five Guys. I made them promise not to talk about their races until we could all talk about our races, so I'm definitely looking forward to that dinner conversation come February. We'll all hang out and show off our medals like nerds, hahaha!

Pacing at tempo

• Wed, Jan 20: 2 miles in 21min 50sec, 1 mile in 10min 15 sec.

This day, I was really wondering whether to go, as my stomach was quite upset. But I wanted to keep breaking in my shoes, and I felt the guilt/commitment, so I toughed it out and went. Nevermind that I wanted to hurl and my stomach was bouncing around so much I swear I could feel and hear the bubbles forming and bursting. (Eew). I ran at pretty good paces for me, so afterwards I really had that feeling that yes, if I can keep this up even when feeling quite bad, I can do this. Really. Not just the intellectual trying not to freak out - I really felt it.

Let me explain that last sentence. I went online and looked up the ING Miami Marathon website, the race course, the participant info, etc. I reread having to keep up a 14min pace (or the buses will pick you up), but I was feeling slightly better about this after Saturday's practice. Then I read that you have to reach the 12.8mile point in 3hrs 15 minutes, or you will not even be allowed to continue on with the full marathon. This freaked me out in a big way. Honestly, I just had to reason it out with myself for a day or two. Once I'd calmed down, I went back and checked if it was 3hrs 15 minutes from the start, but luckily it's 3 hrs 15 mins shoe-tag time, due to the extra time for the corrals (and I'm sure I'll be in the last one). I kinda figured I would be able to make it, so I just kept working on keeping myself calm and not psyching myself out as usual. But after Wednesday, I don't know. I felt it. I didn't have to reason with myself. I just feel like I can do it. And it's AWESOME. I always have to work at motivating myself, so this is a dream come true - a dream that had better last until January 31st at midnight.

So, I'm going to stay calm, and not get too excited because I want to keep all that energy for the big day, and do my research so I can have my infinitesimally small freakouts way ahead of time so that I'll have my mental armour for the big day, and keep visualizing me crossing that finish line. Go team Janine. :)

Tapering - it's getting close!

• Sat, Jan 16: 2hrs 2-3mins, 9 miles!!!

Usually I put my distance first, but this time we were going to run for time. We'd done our last long run the week before, so now it was time to ease up and give our bodies a rest so we'd be ready for race day.

Everyone just ran for an hour, turned around wherever we were and ran back. For once, that meant that we should all finish together, and as a person who is always one of the last, I was quite looking forward to being "with the pack", even if that was at the end. I was also hoping to run at least 9 miles, as that would mean that a long slow comfortable pace was also within the pace I need to be for the marathon itself (~14 min mile). I was sooo pleased when I realised that I had. As I jogged at about a 13 1/3 min mile, that made me a little more confident for the race.

Just as good, we were back by 10:30am! Can't remember the last time I finished a Saturday practice that early. So a good day all round! :)

Hitting a steady pace

• Wed, Jan 12: Four 10min miles!!!

The point of this workout was to pace ourselves, and we were told by Coach Luis that we were going to do the mile in exactly the same time each time. So that's what I set out to do. I ran "tempo" and did my first mile in about 9mins 50 seconds, and then thought it had to be a mistake. lol Then I did the second one in just about 10mins (not more than a couple seconds over, if that). Same with the third. And the last one, EXACTLY 10mins. I was quite pleased. And guess what, that adds up to 4 miles in one practice. Pretty good for me!

Treading the miles

• Sat, Jan 9: 19 miles, 4 hrs 5 mins - on the treadmill!!!!

Since I was still sick (antibiotics or not), and it was going to be below freezing, I decided that I was better off running inside than out. (It was a West Side Hwy run anyway - no thanks. lol) I slept in, and although the day seemed very warm went I looked out that morning, I still felt I made the best decision. Besides, I had a plan to run as if it was race day, and so even though I'd be on the treadmill I thought it might just not be as mindnumbing as I'd previously imagined.

So here's what I did. On the treadmill specifically "for the long run", I ran by time so I could fuel on schedule but not watch and obsess over distance. I did the run in 3 parts - first 1/3 at 13min mile, 2nd at 12.45min mile, 3rd at 12.30min mile. Did all flat, no incline. I concentrated on paying attention to my legs mostly, followed by breathing during each stage. I ended up running 18.8 miles straight in 4 hours, then walked the last 0.2miles for a total of 19 miles.

Afterwards, I felt awesome! So, yeah, I had to stretch and gently foam roll for 30 mins after, AND do the did ice bath at home later to help the legs. But I'd done it, and I felt a little more confident about race day. Can you imagine? 19 miles! 4 hours of running! Wow!!!!

Getting back out there

• Wed, Jan 6: Pacing. Did a marathon pace, tempo and tempo plus (!!!) run.

So after missing the lovely pace, tempo and tempo plus training last week, I got a chance to get one in (although still quite sick - turns out I had/have an upper respiratory tract infection requiring penicillin!!!). Got back out there and did, if I am judging correctly, a 12 minute, 10 minute and at least a sub-10 minute mile. I was quite pleased with my effort today. Since the whole point of this exercise (other than some intervals, maybe) was to assess how we were feeling as we ran each leg, I'm quite sure that I will not doing anything near tempo plus unless it's the last 25 steps to the finish line. lol I felt like I was going to hurl running that fast! Still, proud of me!

Three Bridges!!!

• Sat, Jan 2: 16.3 miles, 4 hours, 2 boroughs, 3 bridges, freezing cold!!!

Still rather sick, but I medicated myself on Robitussin DM Max, dressed warmly and gots to running! lol The 3-bridges run was pretty awesome, although there were some bitter, unhappy points. Yasi, who was also sick and wisely skipped this run, was sorely missed. We ran from Brooklyn Museum (really, Coach Lisa's apt) to Manhattan via Flatbush Avenue and the Manhattan bridge, then went right and ran over and back the Williamsburg bridge, then went left and over the Brooklyn bridge. From there it was mostly Hoyt and Union back to the Park.

It was nice to have Nassar's company for the first bridge. His race is this coming weekend, so here's my shoutout: BEST OF LUCK, NASSAR!!! YOU'LL BE AWESOME!!!!! :) Williamsburg bridge was rather steep, and with my compromised lung capacity :) it was rather challenging, so I fell behind. Back through the city to Brooklyn bridge was ok, and there I met up with Captain Robyn who was waiting for me since I was the last person back on the 3 bridges route (some people were only doing 1 or 2). Then she and I ran most of the way back to Prospect Part, me very tired at this point and feeling some pain.

Now, since the run was only 13 miles so far, I had to add on some miles in Prospect Park. I was kinda exhausted, and Prospect Park was cold. I really wanted to cry. I was hoping to add five miles, but the coaches wisely advised me to add 3. I wasn't even sure if I could add 1/2, I was so tired and drained. Miles 14 and 15 were a slow, often walking slog with the mental mantra of left foot, right foot to keep me moving forward and trying not to cry because that would just make my face colder. But mile 16...... was worth it. The last mile was also our tempo run training mile, and some muscle memory had me actually running (albeit slowly) this mile!! It also seemed to fly by, unlike the previous 2. I'm glad I pushed through miles 14 and 15 to get to that 16th mile. I'm going to channel that mile in my marathon race.

Which leads me to the following: my race is this month!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Anyway, afterwards we all warmed up and chatted and bonded at Coach Lisa's and her husband Clark's apt with bagels, coffee, hot chocolate and yummy English muffins. Ok, I took a bit of time to defrost and become capable of being social, but it was lovely hanging out with everyone. :) We rocked!!!

M.I.A.

• Wed, Dec 30: Sick = first completely missed training. Was tempo runs with negative splits. Ah well.

Well, I was trying my best to be well, but I got a cold on Sunday. The usual, bad 30-day extravaganza. So I tried my best to rest, and even though I brought my clothes on Wednesday, I ended up going home after consultation :) with my mom and Yasi because I was tired and it was cold, cold, cold. I felt very guilty, but know I made the right decision. After all, I'm not trying to get pneumonia! At least I did my Tuesday cross-training. Also, the upcoming Saturday run promised to be fab, so I'm determined to get there!!!