30dec2013

I've got 3 miles on my schedule for today.  Yep, I'm back to following a schedule.  I do better with structure.  :-)

It's 21 weeks until my first half-marathon of 2014.  So I'm taking the NYRR conservative 10-week half program, and am planning to just run every week twice before moving onto the next week.  Hopefully that very gradual increase in mileage will help me avoid stupid injury again.  (let me say,  I haven't run in about 2 weeks, and my achilles feels pretty okay, and I have no hip pain anymore).

I'll report back in once I've done my run for today.

Phew!

Phew!  I didn't get selected in the lottery for the NYC Half.  Logically, I'm thrilled about it - given I'm still pretty creaky from my injuries, and given the expense of the race and the travel expenses.  But I had a blast at the race in 2013, so would have loved to do it again in 2014.  Anyways, it's out of my hands, and there you have it.

I'm registered for a few half-marathons in the 2nd half of the year, with my goal race being the BCS Half in Bryan/College Station, TX.  I got early bird registration price, so jumped on it.  That will also be my Fred's Team race for 2014.  All this assuming I can get a flight using air miles.  If not, then I'll find a local half instead.

quick update

I sit here still full from Thanksgiving (not the turkey dinner on Thursday, but rather our traditional Italian feast yesterday).  All healthy stuff, well, maybe not all of it, but super yummy and we make this meal only 3 times a year (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter). Anyways, that's all to say that my run today was not very enjoyable.

I'm doing the Runners World Holiday Streak, which is to run at least 1 mile every day between Thanksgiving day and New Years day.  I did 1.3 miles running on Thanksgiving morning around my 'hood.  Then 1.3 miles walking with Sis#1 yesterday.  And 3 miles on the TM at the gym today.

I'm loving this so far - the fact that I only have to fit in 1 mile, no pressure for more, just get out and do it - awesome.

And I've been doing very slow jogging, or walking, or run/walk intervals like today, to avoid aggravating my achilles/hip/IT Band that were all problems during my marathon.  so far so good.

looking ahead a bit

So back before my hip became a problem and my IT band flared in NYC, I threw my name into the lottery for the NYC Half in March 2014.  I'd guess it's a 50% chance of getting selected (I got in last year - and loved loved loved this race).

Anyways, although I'm not running right now, we're 16 weeks out from that race, and my plan is to start a training plan now so I have some structure to my workout schedule.  (I do best with some structure - otherwise I keep pushing stuff off).  I've got a 10 week plan and a 12 week plan, need to review them and make a choice.  Then stretch the plan out to 16 weeks, and walk the mileage for now while my hip hopefully improves.

And if I don't get selected for the NYC Half, I'll probably just stay at the 20-25 mpw level and gain my fitness back for a bit longer.  I am already registered for a half in July, and that allows me a lot of time to build back up safely.

recover/rehab

So, I haven't checked in here for quite some time.  Brief recap - my achilles tendonitis was a problem through my entire training cycle for NYC, then add in some hip pain, and some pretty bad race-day IT band pain, and I was a DNF at NYC Marathon this year.  I stopped just past mile 16, once I got into Manhattan  oy.

I've been walking for exercise since race day.  Tried running a few minutes over the weekend and my hip said no.  So walking it is, at least for now.  I'll mix things up a bit - walking, elliptical, and biking at the gym, and I have 3 more weeks of bootcamp class.  And a lot more focus on what I'm eating - less weight on my joints would most definitely help prevent recurrence of my stupid injuries.

Just short stuff planned for early 2014, then build to a HALF in October or November for MSKCC.

week 4 of training

I'm now into Week 4 of my training plan for the NYC Marathon.

This week:
Monday - rest day
Tuesday - rest day
Wednesday - 6 miles including intervals
Thursday - 4 miles or flex day
Friday - 4 miles regular run
Saturday - rest day
Sunday - 9 miles

I got out for my 6 miles last night right after work.  It was 79f when I went out the door.  Did I bring water?  Umm, no.  Duh, Liz...  One of the longer and slower 6 milers I've ever run.  The upside of the run is that my Sis#2 joined me for miles 3-5.


Today is supposed to be rain/stormy, so I'll probably hit the TM at the gym for my 4 miles.

Last fun thing is that registration is open for November and December NYRR races, so I'm registered for one of my favorites, the NYRR Ted Corbitt Classic 15k.  I've run that race the last 2 years, and use it to see how my running is doing.

14 weeks to go!

Actually, it's a little less than that now.  It was 14 weeks as of Sunday.  Yowza!!

So, this time around, I am using NYRR's Virtual Trainer program.  It's pretty similar to the online training plan they had probably 5 or 6 years ago that I really liked.  This is like that plan, but beefed up a lot.  Great functionality, great daily tips customized to my abilities, etc., and as I progress through the plan and post my training paces/results, it updates itself with more accurate/updated paces for my training runs and also what I might expect on race day.  So far, so good.

The one challenge is that I'm subbing bootcamp class for one of my mid-week runs, and the program seems to think I'm slacking off so my suggested training paces are slowing down.  Guess I need to just keep doing what I'm doing, pace-wise, and hope the plan catches on.

Anyways, tonight I have 5 miles on the schedule.

as my real estate agent once said...

Buyers will be liers.  In other words, say they want one thing, and then choose something entirely different.

How does this apply to my running, you ask?  Well, as always happens, I say I'm not running a full marathon this year (see my last post).  And of course, I'm running a full marathon this year.

Yes, you read that right.  Come November 3rd, I'll be out on Staten Island, lined up with 48000 of my closest running buddies, and will run the NYC Marathon this year in solidarity with Boston.

And as always, most importantly for me, running to raise money for cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Please help if you're able:  http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/Elizabeth2013NYC

As for my training, I'm back to basics and using the Hal Higdon Novice 1 plan.  Yes, I've run marathons before.  But given my current level of fitness and running, and especially given I'm still dealing with that stupid heel/achilles issue (I hurt it early last August, so 11 months now), I need to take it pretty conservatively.

Will I probably take 6 hours to finish?  Yes.  But that's okay with me.  I just feel bad for my family and friends who wait along the course to cheer me on.  :-(

And NYC Marathon is in addition to the 12 other races I'm registered for/running this year.  My race calendar: 
Feb: NYRR Gridiron Classic 4-miler - DONE!
March: NYC Half-Marathon - DONE!
June 8: Colchester Causeway 5k - DONE!
June 22:  Shelburne 5K - DONE!
July 14: Stowe 8-Miler
July 28: Essex Half-Marathon
August 24: Richmond Round Church Women's 10K
Sept 14:  Charlotte Covered Bridges Half-Marathon
October 6:  NYRR Grete's Great Gallop Half-Marathon
October 13: GMAA Green Mountain Half-Marathon
October 20:  CHaD Half Marathon
November 3: NYC Marathon
December 14: NYRR Ted Corbitt 15K

April already, huh?

So here's my plan for the year.  Rather than running a marathon in the fall (given my stupid achilles is still a problem), I'm running a series of shorter races this year. 13 races in 2013 to raise money for pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Please help if you're able:  http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/Elizabeth13in2013

Bold means I'm registered and confirmed.  The last one (NYRR Ted Corbitt 15k), registration should open in August if I remember correctly.  And I may need to find a substitute for the Clarence DeMar in July.

February:   3Feb2013 NYRR Gridiron Classic 4M,   NYC - DONE!
March: 17Mar2013 NYC Half, NYC - DONE!
May:  11May2013  Shoreham Apple Blossom Derby 5k
June:   8June2013  Colchester Causeway 15k
June:  22June2013  Shelburne 10k
July:  6july2013 GMAA Clarence DeMar 5k
July:  14July2013  Stowe 8-Miler
july:  28July2013 Essex Half Marathon
August:  24Aug2013  Richmond Round Church Women's Run 10k
September:  14Sept2013 Charlotte Half Marathon
October:  13Oct2013  GMAA Green Mountain Half
October:  20Oct2013  CHaD Half Marathon
December:  14Dec2013  NYRR Ted Corbitt 15k

Lots of race fees compared to a single big race, that's for sure!  But I'm enjoying the shorter stuff.  And no sense of dread for the long training runs that go along with a full marathon.  woohoo!

Lots has happened since my last post, which was ages ago.  I injured my achilles in August, mid-training-season for Chicago (I'm still having issues with it, even after PT and 6 months of reduced load).  Due to that, I wasn't able to train for or run Chicago Marathon in October as I originally planned.  I did the NYRR Ted Corbitt 15k in December instead.  Run/walk, which is fine with me.

I've got a lot planned for 2013.  No marathons, but lots of halves and a few shorter races.  I'll be running for MSKCC as usual, and will post the link to my fundraising page once it's available.

Here's to a better year running in 2013, because 2012 was a complete bust!