Saturday I did a 10k in Central Park for my fourth qualifying race. This time, it was the Healthy Kidney 10k. According to my trusty Forerunner 205, it took me 1:01:27 to run 6.3 miles, a 9:45/mile pace. The official time was 1:01:29 over 6.2 miles, for 9:55 a mile. Either way, I've done 4 out of the 9 races I'll need in order to qualify for guaranteed entry to the 2010 NYC marathon.
I wasn't even going to go out tonight. I hadn't done anything between the 4 mile race on Sunday and the 10k on Saturday, that stupid IT band thing was hurting, and it was already dark out and my gym was going to close too soon. But, Beth was going to go for a run, and far be it from me to let her beat me, so off I went.
I got dressed to go out in warm clothes, and I was about to go out, when I realized I was dressed from neck to ankle in black at 10:15 pm. Considering how stupid I think pedestrians are when I'm driving and they're dressed all in black at night, I figured I'd better do something about that. It turns out I don't own anything reflective, and there's no way to attach my bicycle lights to my shirt. So I got the yellowest shirt I owned, threw it on top of the black, and headed out. There are plenty of benefits to dressing safely, chiefly not getting hit by a car, but looking good is not one of them.
I did two new things tonight. First, I did the same 2.5 mile loop around Russell Gardens that I've done plenty of times before, but I've always done it clockwise, so I reversed it. It's pretty remarkable how much a route can change just by switching directions. Suddenly you notice inclines that were too slight to feel like downhills when you had done it the other way. I'm pretty sure the uphills were tougher counterclockwise, so between that and and other new thing I did, I modified the loop the second time a keep a little of it a little more flat, but I still kept the biggest hills.
The second new thing I did was that I added sprint intervals. In addition to the last .2 miles, I had 3 quarter mile sprints and one 1/8 mile sprint (only because that section was flat for less distance than I expected). For those I did about 8 min miles, and the rest of the time I did about 9:50 miles, ending up with an average pace of 9:28 over 5 miles. It was definitely not the longest run I've done, but with the inclines and the sprints, it was one of the more challenging runs I've done.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
1/3 of the way to guaranteeing entry
After being sidelined from running with what my cousin diagnosed as IT Band Syndrome for about a week and a half, I was finally completely pain-free on Thursday and Friday, and with a race in Central Park scheduled for Sunday, I went out for a jog on Friday evening when I got back from work. My sister was in town and wanted to join, so she and I headed out for a 5k loop around Russell Gardens and part of Great Neck Estates.
About halfway through, my sister had to stop to walk (she has a bad back), but she told me to keep going, so I did. The rest of the run felt like it was entirely uphill. It was just like having a conversation with Beth. Still, I did it, in under 30 minutes, and with not that much pain in my leg after.
The next day, my cousin told me it would be alright for me to take some of my brother-in-law's mobic, a prescription anti-inflammatory, to keep my leg from getting bad again, and it turns out, mobic is my new best friend. That stuff works great. I took it before the 4 mile race on Sunday, and never felt any pain, other than some soreness for a couple of days after.
This week, I have a 10k in the park on Saturday morning, and I'm hoping that I'll have time to get 4-5 miles in tomorrow night to stay loose for it, since I've done nothing since the race on Sunday. This stupid class that I'm taking to stay licensed as an attorney in New Jersey has taken up basically all of my free time, though, and I need to finish homework for that before I can go out to run.
About halfway through, my sister had to stop to walk (she has a bad back), but she told me to keep going, so I did. The rest of the run felt like it was entirely uphill. It was just like having a conversation with Beth. Still, I did it, in under 30 minutes, and with not that much pain in my leg after.
The next day, my cousin told me it would be alright for me to take some of my brother-in-law's mobic, a prescription anti-inflammatory, to keep my leg from getting bad again, and it turns out, mobic is my new best friend. That stuff works great. I took it before the 4 mile race on Sunday, and never felt any pain, other than some soreness for a couple of days after.
This week, I have a 10k in the park on Saturday morning, and I'm hoping that I'll have time to get 4-5 miles in tomorrow night to stay loose for it, since I've done nothing since the race on Sunday. This stupid class that I'm taking to stay licensed as an attorney in New Jersey has taken up basically all of my free time, though, and I need to finish homework for that before I can go out to run.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Oh, the pain...
So, that little new pain I mentioned at the end of my last post? The one that started creeping in while I was walking home to cool down? Yeah...that turned into what has now been almost a week of pain. It forced me into a pretty ugly limp, especially going up stairs. Luckily, after being at a consistent level of hurting until Saturday, I woke up Sunday much improved, and I think I'm up to about 80%. Still, since I'm ridiculously busy for the next three nights, I'm going to keep resting the leg until Friday, when I'll head out and see if I can do a 5k, in preparation for the 4 mile race I'm doing on Sunday (Mother's Day). Should be fun.
I know what you're thinking..."Where's Beth been? She's the funny one." First of all, you're wrong. She's not funny. Second, she's just a lazy slacker. No big deal. She's just not as good a person as I am.
I know what you're thinking..."Where's Beth been? She's the funny one." First of all, you're wrong. She's not funny. Second, she's just a lazy slacker. No big deal. She's just not as good a person as I am.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Yeah, I'm still here.
Yeah, so, I haven't been so much for the running and exercising lately. It's not (entirely) intentional; I've had a busy couple of weeks. I have to take this class in New Brunswick twice a week after work, and I used most nights other than those to do homework for it, and that's going to be going on for the next 4 weeks. I have not been getting out anywhere near as much as I hoped, but I tried to make up for it the past few days with the great weather we had here.
Beth said Chicago had crummy weather all weekend. I say she was just looking for an excuse out.
Since my last post up to this past weekend, I think the only exercise I did was 6 miles at the gym, so after basically doing nothing for a couple weeks (although more than Beth if I had to guess), and with the temperature in the high 70s to low 90s (yes, 90s) all weekend, I went to make up for it. Saturday I circled around Lake Success. My goal when I went was 5 or 6 miles, but after about 3 and a half I ran into my grandmother (not literally) and stopped to chat for a minute, and when I started up again I got that stitch in my right abdomen and it kept me from going past four.
Here's my question: what's with runners not acknowledging other runners' existence when they pass from opposite directions anymore? It used to be that there would be a little nod or maybe a hand raise, creating some sort of a silent "yeah, I'm feeling it too...keep it up" moment between the two of you. Nobody does it anymore, at least not around Great Neck. It's a shame. Camaraderie is a positive motivator.
Sunday I took the bicycle out for the first time this year and rode up the path next to the Cross Island Parkway for the first time. There's a jetty at the end (a bunch of rocks jutting out into the water) so I sat down on that for a little while and then headed back. Great view of the Throgs Neck Bridge. It was 10.14 miles round trip, with an average speed of 12.2 mph and a top speed of 22.3.
Tonight when I got back from work I put my running shoes and went out to try that 5 to 6 miles thing again, because it worked so well the first time (see above). I started running up Bayside through Great Neck Estates. I've always made a right on Cedar, but today I went further north to Old Mill (or "Temple Row," if you prefer) and then came back down Middle Neck. I kept an eye on my pace the whole time but I took the distance information off the screen, so I didn't know how far I had gone, but when I was getting close to home I figured I had to be at about 5.5. I was close....I was already up to 4.25. Clearly I had my work cut out for me. I did the one mile loop near my house that I used to do all the time with a few twists and ended up finishing with...6.5 miles done. New longest distance this year. I finished in 1:03:35, a 9:47 pace (6.1 mph). I have to say, I was very pleased with that.
Then I went to get dinner, and right in line with the 1100 calories I burned running, I had...Wendy's. Yeah, it probably wasn't the best choice, but come on, you know you're thinking about a spicy chicken sandwich now.
Oh, I have a new pain. I was just barely starting to feel it when I got home from my run, now a couple hours later, it hurts a decent amount whenever I step with my left leg. It's on the outside of the top half of the leg. Dunno what it is, hopefully it's fine tomorrow.
I probably won't be posting much for the next month because of that class, but training (and fundraising) for Delaware starts only a month or two after that. In the meantime, don't get swine flu!
Beth said Chicago had crummy weather all weekend. I say she was just looking for an excuse out.
Since my last post up to this past weekend, I think the only exercise I did was 6 miles at the gym, so after basically doing nothing for a couple weeks (although more than Beth if I had to guess), and with the temperature in the high 70s to low 90s (yes, 90s) all weekend, I went to make up for it. Saturday I circled around Lake Success. My goal when I went was 5 or 6 miles, but after about 3 and a half I ran into my grandmother (not literally) and stopped to chat for a minute, and when I started up again I got that stitch in my right abdomen and it kept me from going past four.
Here's my question: what's with runners not acknowledging other runners' existence when they pass from opposite directions anymore? It used to be that there would be a little nod or maybe a hand raise, creating some sort of a silent "yeah, I'm feeling it too...keep it up" moment between the two of you. Nobody does it anymore, at least not around Great Neck. It's a shame. Camaraderie is a positive motivator.
Sunday I took the bicycle out for the first time this year and rode up the path next to the Cross Island Parkway for the first time. There's a jetty at the end (a bunch of rocks jutting out into the water) so I sat down on that for a little while and then headed back. Great view of the Throgs Neck Bridge. It was 10.14 miles round trip, with an average speed of 12.2 mph and a top speed of 22.3.
Tonight when I got back from work I put my running shoes and went out to try that 5 to 6 miles thing again, because it worked so well the first time (see above). I started running up Bayside through Great Neck Estates. I've always made a right on Cedar, but today I went further north to Old Mill (or "Temple Row," if you prefer) and then came back down Middle Neck. I kept an eye on my pace the whole time but I took the distance information off the screen, so I didn't know how far I had gone, but when I was getting close to home I figured I had to be at about 5.5. I was close....I was already up to 4.25. Clearly I had my work cut out for me. I did the one mile loop near my house that I used to do all the time with a few twists and ended up finishing with...6.5 miles done. New longest distance this year. I finished in 1:03:35, a 9:47 pace (6.1 mph). I have to say, I was very pleased with that.
Then I went to get dinner, and right in line with the 1100 calories I burned running, I had...Wendy's. Yeah, it probably wasn't the best choice, but come on, you know you're thinking about a spicy chicken sandwich now.
Oh, I have a new pain. I was just barely starting to feel it when I got home from my run, now a couple hours later, it hurts a decent amount whenever I step with my left leg. It's on the outside of the top half of the leg. Dunno what it is, hopefully it's fine tomorrow.
I probably won't be posting much for the next month because of that class, but training (and fundraising) for Delaware starts only a month or two after that. In the meantime, don't get swine flu!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Time? What time?
Monday and Tuesday, I went straight to New Brunswick after work for a three hour class and didn't get home until after 11. Thursday I went to happy hour and dinner and didn't get home until midnight. Friday I went home, packed, and headed back to the city to watch a ballgame and borrow my friend's apartment for the weekend. That left only Wednesday to work out, which I took full advantage of, by becoming what I can only describe as a regular 6 mile runner.
I was a little offended, though. No less than three consecutive girls got on the treadmill next to me, walked less than a quarter mile, and left. I'm taking it personally.
I'm going home after the Mets game to get pants to run in at the 4 mile race tomorrow and to get my Mets jersey because I got tickets to Citi Field tomorrow afternoon, and while I'm there I might go for a bike ride outside because it's really nice out. It depends on how late it is. Or, I might nap. Could go either way.
I was a little offended, though. No less than three consecutive girls got on the treadmill next to me, walked less than a quarter mile, and left. I'm taking it personally.
I'm going home after the Mets game to get pants to run in at the 4 mile race tomorrow and to get my Mets jersey because I got tickets to Citi Field tomorrow afternoon, and while I'm there I might go for a bike ride outside because it's really nice out. It depends on how late it is. Or, I might nap. Could go either way.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
10k and a little more
Been a while since I logged in, but that's not from a lack of working out. Like Beth, I'm a little lazy about posting. Unlike Beth, I'm not quite that lazy about getting to the gym. Here's what I've been doing since last week.
On Monday I did 5 miles on a treadmill, starting at 6.1 mph and going up .1 for each mile, with a sprint at the end. It was my first day back to working out after a few days off, and I felt surprisingly loose. That was fine, until Tuesday night, when I went back to do some circuit training and a few other random exercises. Same as last time, the leg exercises were fine, but man, my arms are out of shape. I only got through one set on each of the arm machines, so I'm really going to have to start incorporating that more often. But on the plus side, I did more than double the number of crunches I can do in a day. The workout was only 45 minutes, but the soreness lasted for days and days and days...
Wednesday was the first night of Passover. I got out of work early and caught the train home, and had a little more time before the Seder than I expected. I knew I wouldn't be able to work out on Thursday because of a Seder in New Jersey, and I wanted to get at least a small run before the 10k this morning, so I went to the gym and did 2 miles. After all, 2 miles is better than zero miles. Since it was a short distance I upped the speed a little and finished in under 19 minutes.
On Thursday, I went to another Seder straight from work, so exercising was out, but it was OK, because I was planning to go for a nice bike ride at the gym on Friday.
Friday I bailed on the gym.
Today I had a 10k in Central Park, my second qualifying race for the 2010 NYC marathon. My friend loaned me her apartment for the night while she was sleeping somewhere else, so I woke up an hour before the start, got dressed, and walked out...into the pouring rain and 44 degree weather. Perfect. I'm so glad I brought my brand new running shoes that I've only used twice for that. The mud pit where the bagels were after the run was especially helpful to keeping the sneakers looking good.
Other than the cold and the rain, which truthfully I didn't mind after I had warmed up in the first mile, the run went very well. Officially, I completed 6.22 miles in 1:02:38, a 10:06 pace, and the furthest distance I've run since the Soldier Field 10 Mile last May. Luckily, I braved the rain for a good 15 minutes before the race waiting for my GPS watch to get a signal, and according to high-tech satellite technology, I actually ran 6.37 miles, making it a 9:50 pace. Obviously, I'm going with the latter. I also burned over 1,000 calories.
Tomorrow, I'm sleeping late. I probably will work out, because starting this week, for 5 of the next 6 weeks, I have an awful schedule that gives me no time to do anything but work and class 2 days a week and also gives me an extra hour of work 2 other days. I'm reeeeally looking forward to it.
On Monday I did 5 miles on a treadmill, starting at 6.1 mph and going up .1 for each mile, with a sprint at the end. It was my first day back to working out after a few days off, and I felt surprisingly loose. That was fine, until Tuesday night, when I went back to do some circuit training and a few other random exercises. Same as last time, the leg exercises were fine, but man, my arms are out of shape. I only got through one set on each of the arm machines, so I'm really going to have to start incorporating that more often. But on the plus side, I did more than double the number of crunches I can do in a day. The workout was only 45 minutes, but the soreness lasted for days and days and days...
Wednesday was the first night of Passover. I got out of work early and caught the train home, and had a little more time before the Seder than I expected. I knew I wouldn't be able to work out on Thursday because of a Seder in New Jersey, and I wanted to get at least a small run before the 10k this morning, so I went to the gym and did 2 miles. After all, 2 miles is better than zero miles. Since it was a short distance I upped the speed a little and finished in under 19 minutes.
On Thursday, I went to another Seder straight from work, so exercising was out, but it was OK, because I was planning to go for a nice bike ride at the gym on Friday.
Friday I bailed on the gym.
Today I had a 10k in Central Park, my second qualifying race for the 2010 NYC marathon. My friend loaned me her apartment for the night while she was sleeping somewhere else, so I woke up an hour before the start, got dressed, and walked out...into the pouring rain and 44 degree weather. Perfect. I'm so glad I brought my brand new running shoes that I've only used twice for that. The mud pit where the bagels were after the run was especially helpful to keeping the sneakers looking good.
Other than the cold and the rain, which truthfully I didn't mind after I had warmed up in the first mile, the run went very well. Officially, I completed 6.22 miles in 1:02:38, a 10:06 pace, and the furthest distance I've run since the Soldier Field 10 Mile last May. Luckily, I braved the rain for a good 15 minutes before the race waiting for my GPS watch to get a signal, and according to high-tech satellite technology, I actually ran 6.37 miles, making it a 9:50 pace. Obviously, I'm going with the latter. I also burned over 1,000 calories.
Tomorrow, I'm sleeping late. I probably will work out, because starting this week, for 5 of the next 6 weeks, I have an awful schedule that gives me no time to do anything but work and class 2 days a week and also gives me an extra hour of work 2 other days. I'm reeeeally looking forward to it.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Missing some Beth blogs
So, I havent blogged in a while. Mostly cause I am lazy. I have however, been getting my work out on. I have been running on the track instead of the treadmill. I dont even track the time I just run and think about how awesome I am doing. In reality I just keep forgetting to check the time when I start and finish. I am guessing I am at about 46-47 minutes for the 5 miles, but thats pretty much conjecture.
I am sure all of you know at this point that today was opening day! So I was all wicked psyched to watch the game while running on the treadmill. However, the game today was on Comcast Sports Net and neither of the accessible gyms had it. Needless to say, it made me really sad, but it also motivated me to run faster to get home. Luckily my Cubbies pulled out the W. A certain other team with some pretty hideous orange and blue color, and a creeper baseball mascot also won, but hopefully this is a good season.
I am sure all of you know at this point that today was opening day! So I was all wicked psyched to watch the game while running on the treadmill. However, the game today was on Comcast Sports Net and neither of the accessible gyms had it. Needless to say, it made me really sad, but it also motivated me to run faster to get home. Luckily my Cubbies pulled out the W. A certain other team with some pretty hideous orange and blue color, and a creeper baseball mascot also won, but hopefully this is a good season.
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