Achilles Hope and Possibility 5 Miler

Sunday was the 12th annual Achilles Hope and Possibility 5 mile run at Central Park. Achilles International is a nonprofit organization that pairs able-bodied volunteers with disabled runners so that everyone can participate in main-stream athletics. I know some people who have volunteered with Achilles and all have described their experiences with them as pretty unforgettable.

The race started at 9am that morning and as of that time it was 74 degrees with a humidity of nearly 60%. As I was on my way to the park that morning, I went down the checklist to see if I had everything that I needed for this race:

– Nike+ watch? Nope.
– Phone? Still plugged into the wall and sitting on the windowsill.
– Music? Unlikely since all my music is on my phone on that windowsill.
– Earbuds? No, but I didn’t have a phone to plug them into anyway.

– Runner number 4929? Not today. I was running this one alone.
– Vivobarefoot sneakers? Of course!
– Race bib? Yes! 3667 was already pinned to my shirt.

I had the things that I absolutely needed so I was all set. No phone, no gps watch, no problem – I could rough it. It would be like camping, but with a lot more running. (Or camping while running away from a bear, maybe?) It was “only” 5 miles and I would be done before I knew it.

I got to the beginning of the race about a minute after the starting horn sounded, but there were still a ton of people waiting to cross the starting line and so I shimmied my way into the crowd and felt like I was missing something. I went to turn on my music, but remembered I didn’t have any.  My right hand instinctively went to my left wrist to start my Nike+ watch but it landed on my bracelet that I always wear instead. No sign of my watch anywhere. Alright then – I guess the only thing left to do was just run. And so I started to run.

There were so many Achilles guides in their bright yellow shirts, and a ton of runners in wheelchairs, handcycles, with prosthetic or amputated limbs. Some were training to be guides, too – there was a girl running while wearing a mask over her eyes while being helped by a guide. Kind of makes you never want to take those legs, eyes and everything else you’ve got for granted again!

The course started around 67th street on the west side of the park and went counterclockwise around the southern loop of Central Park, up the Cat Hill, through the 102 Street Transverse back to the west side, and then straight down the west side of the park back to where we started. Pretty straightforward and nothing I’d never done before.

When we got to the Cat Hill, I happened to be near a runner whose right leg and arm twisted extremely inward, forcing him to move his body in a strange direction each time he ran on that leg. The hill must have been incredibly tough for him, but he didn’t show it. The entire way up the hill he repeated “This hill has nothing on me. It’s got nothing. Nothing on me.” Each time he said it he smiled, and he made it (pretty exuberantly, I might add) to the top of that hill. He had an energy about him that made me glad that I happened to be in that particular spot at that particular moment to see that particular victory.

Because I didn’t have my Nike+ watch and have grown very reliant on it to check my pace, I had no idea how fast or slow I was going. I thought I was taking it easy, especially because my legs were tired and kind of screaming at me after my 25 mile bike ride and 0.5 mile swim the day before, but I really had no way of really knowing so I just kept chugging along. I know that I picked up the speed the last mile or so. It was very hot and humid out and I kept thinking about the fruit that was waiting at the finish line and wanted an apple more than anything.  Seriously, at the moment, nothing in the whole world sounded better than an apple.  They ended up handing out peaches and bagels. I grabbed a peach after picking up my medal and a bottled water, and oh man – it was better than an apple.

According to the official results from New York Road Runners, I finished the 5 miles in 40:49 – an 8:10 pace. Not bad for a lazy Sunday while roughing it without modern technology! While I was somewhat surprised to see my time (I had estimated that I was around an 8:30 pace, but really didn’t know), I have also seen a big change in my running lately.  Everything else, too, but mostly my running.  Maybe it’s all the training starting to come together. Maybe it’s the whole vegan thing I’ve been doing for the last month (after months of research and a relatively slow initial transition). Maybe it’s other things. Maybe it’s all of those things.

But whatever it is, I like it.

Made for More – Oakley Women’s Mini

Saturday was the 43rd annual Oakley Women’s Mini – a 10k that celebrates women being able to participate in races, which didn’t happen until 1972! Isn’t that kind of crazy?  That’s the year that Title IX became a law, which created a ton of more opportunities for women athletes.  I was looking forward to this race for weeks and knew I had to run it. As the day came closer, though, it felt like the elements were challenging me to see if I would really run it. Didn’t matter – I was doing it. The 101 degree fever I had a couple days before wouldn’t stop me. The never-ending cough that had been lingering for almost a week wouldn’t stop me. And the crazy thunder, lightning and downpour just about 12 hours earlier wouldn’t stop me.  Besides, I had already picked up my race packet and the dark grey racer-back tanks that said “Made for More” in hot pink were super cute and I needed to wear it ASAP!

I got to the starting line at 61st and Central Park West feeling as though I had gotten 45 minutes of sleep and practically sleepwalked my way through the nearly 6,000 women who were doing their pre-race preps. Some were stretching, others were running in place. Most were taking selfies, looking at the photo, shaking their heads and then retaking them.  I get it though – it’s important to have a good race day photo. I don’t usually do pre-run photoshoots, and then I regret it.  Especially after seeing the in-race pictures. Man, those are usually pretty rough.

I found my corral – yellow 2000-2999 – and wiggled my way up to the front, getting there just as the opening remarks were starting. There were several famous runners there – including Deena Kastor (Olympian who ran and won the More Fitness Women’s Half Marathon that I did a couple months back), and Lauren Fleshman (awesome runner and co-creator of Picky Bars, which are in my top 3 favorite bars of all time. Sometimes all you need in life is a Smooth Caffeinator or a Blueberry Boomdizzle.).  After the remarks a survivor of the Boston marathon bombing spoke.  I couldn’t see her from where I was standing, but what she said was short and sweet and got the job done –  we were even more ready to run! We had to wait a few more minutes though because they needed confirmation that Central Park West was closed through 90th Street.

Ok, finally – the countdown. 3… 2… And the horn sounded – we were off!! I started my Nike+ watch, coughed up a lung, and started up CPW.  As I passed the stage I saw the Boston Marathon survivor wearing a cute running outfit and a prosthetic leg.  She was so enthusiastic and telling us to have fun as we rushed by her.

I tend to have a lot of adrenaline at the beginning of races – too much maybe – and start pretty fast. Problem is, races are relatively slow at the beginning. You have to maneuver your way around everyone in front of you until you and everyone else settle into their paces and spreads out a bit, which is no easy task at times. During this race I was “that girl” – the one who definitely and annoyingly used the curb to get around a ton of people.  When I wasn’t doing that I was dodging and weaving through everyone, which had potential to catch up with me later on and I just hoped that I had the energy to keep it up and not pay for it by the end of the race. I would have been more mindful of all that if this had been a longer race or in a different location, but it was “just” a 10k around my park. I had this!

This race was interesting because we ran up CPW and entered the park at 90th Street, and continued in the park running clockwise. I’ve never run clockwise around Central Park – only counterclockwise. Every single time. It was almost like running in a new place! Running down the Harlem hill was great.  Running down the Cat Hill was even better!  Don’t get me wrong, there were other hills, but just the satisfaction of not running up those hills – being able to smile at the cat statue instead of glare or grimace at it – made any other hill totally worth it.

As I ran and continued to check my watch, I noticed that I was running much faster than expected, so I began to think that it was a perfect day for a personal record.  I mean really – what better race than this one, right?  And so I just booked it. One of my pals from Muay Thai was volunteering at this race so I made sure to run on the outside when I got near the south part of Central Park, knowing that he would be around there.  I found him somewhere just after mile 5.5 and got a big high five from him.  “Finish strong!!” he yelled after me as ran off.  “Will do!” I promised.

Before long I saw the sign saying that there were only 800 meters left.  Then 400 meters.  Then… where was 200 meters? It seemed to be taking forever!  Oh – there it was.  200 meters left!  I could see the finish line just ahead.  My Vivobarefoot sneakers pounded the ground as I sprinted the last 200 meters and crossed the finish line.  I stopped my Nike+ watch and it immediately congratulated me for breaking my previous 10k record!  I got my medal, a pink carnation, and an apple, and headed for the nearest bench.  Here’s a summary of it all:

After that, I grabbed a Venti unsweetened green iced tea, headed straight for the nearest couch, and considered it a successful Saturday!

“It’s Like Swimming in a Washing Machine.” : The First Open Water Swim

The first open water swim has come and gone.  I woke up at 5am on Saturday and jumped out of my bed, ready to take on Coney Island with a force that would even surprise myself.  I had a rhythm down when swimming in the pool and was excited to see it translate to the open water.  I headed out at 5:45 to meet a fellow TNT-er at the subway, picked up a few more along the way, and we made the nearly 1.5 hour trek to the ocean. 

We got there, met the rest of the team, pulled on our wetsuits and waited anxiously, excitedly, and nervously to hit the water. 

 After splitting up into 3 groups, we ran in!  No swimming at first – just getting acclimated to the water (which was colder than I expected!)and getting loose (jumping around, putting our heads under the water, and shaking our arms and shoulders to release any tension).  So far so good.

Then it was time to actually swim.  We picked buddies to swim with and headed back in.  I was nervous, but still excited – until I started swimming.  I put my head under and started going.  Stroke – the water was murky and it was hard to see.  Nothing like the pool.  Stroke – there were people’s feet kicking and arms moving all around me.  It was a little claustrophobic and reminded me of the scene in Titanic after the ship sank and everyone was crowded and flailing together in the water.  Stroke – I had heard that ocean swimming can be like swimming in a washing machine and I was suddenly aware of the waves and all that was different from the pool.  Breathe – I had forgotten to breathe out, so when I turned my head to take a breath, I couldn’t.  Then I think I forgot how to breathe altogether.  Alright, panic attack, I feel you coming.  Let’s just get this over with.  My buddy was calm, cool and collected and totally helped me out, but it was too late – I was too far inside my head and there was no turning back.  I kept trying though, but it was hard to push my head under the water, and my body was so tense.  I was frustrated and it showed.  After a little bit, I got out of the ocean to shake it off and headed straight to the head coach for advice.  So helpful.  He calmed me down, reassured me, and reminded me that I had done this in practice.

Ok, back into the water, where I was greeted by some TNT pals – some who were experiencing the same thing I was, and others who swam next to me and offered their own advice.  By the time the open water swim ended, I was just getting comfortable.  I left the ocean feeling let down, but confident that I could do it the next time. After the swim (and 5-mile boardwalk run that followed), we feasted!  We all gathered at one of the millions of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs where I had fries and calmed myself down with a good old Coney Island Mermaid.

Here are some things I learned:

– You will probably get hit or kicked along the way. There are a ton of people in that water – some pros, some beginners, all trying to reach the same finish line. With all the arm strokes and kicks, it would be a wonder if you made it through without any hits! Get used to it. (And for the love of God, don’t think about that scene in Titanic while you’re swimming!!)

– Learn to sight. There is no thick black line at the bottom of the ocean to help guide your way like there is in the pool. (And if there is, the water is too murky and gross to see it anyway!)

– Breathe.  Every time I felt an inkling of uncertainty, I held my breath. I forgot to breathe, which added to the whole panic thing. Breathing is pretty key. Who knew? 😉

– Relax.  Much easier said than done, but once you remember everything (that you’re not going to drown, that your wetsuit is buoyant, that you know what you’re doing because you’ve done it in the pool, that breathing is kind of an important part of swimming, that slower and calm strokes will get you there faster and more efficiently than quicker, rushed strokes, that you’re not trying to race or keep up with anyone so it’s fine to just go at your own pace, that YOU’VE GOT THIS) you will relax. And you will be fine. And you will enjoy the swim.

Ok so maybe my first attempt at open water swimming wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be, but it was a learning experience and can only get better. The next ocean swim is in July so you can bet that I’ll be back out at Coney Island – wetsuit and all – working on my open water swimming before then. Whether it be by myself (near the lifeguards of course, Mom), with other TNT team members, or with other friends, I’ll be there. But at least I didn’t leave the ocean feeling completely defeated, so I guess there’s always that.  And I had a great day with my team!

 I went to the pool this morning before work to make sure I still had it in me. We’re supposed to be able to swim 20 consecutive minutes before the triathlon, and I did 17 right off the bat pretty easily and ended up swimming a total of 40 mins.  Coney Island won’t know what hit it next time.

Keep Calm and Swim On

Ok – confession time: I took about 3 weeks off from swimming. I know, I know, but it was necessary at first!  The first 2 weeks were because I dyed my hair at home and it took that long for my hair to get wet without the red dye dripping out.  I don’t know about you, but leaving a trail of red hair dye in the pool sounds more like a nightmare than anything else, so I skipped the pool entirely and worked on my BRICKs.  After that, though, I just couldn’t get myself back into the water for another week.  I don’t know what it was, but there was some kind of mental block that kept me away.  But the tri is in 2 months and I kind of need to swim as much as possible until then, so I made a deal with myself – beginning June 1st swimming and I are becoming best friends until Aug. 3.  (And really, what better time to swim a ton than in the summer?)  I really don’t hate swimming at all – I’ve always been a beach/pool/water girl.  It’s just the whole process of actually getting into the water – once I’m in there I could stay there all day.  We’re only 5 days into June, and I’ve been a little fish so far! Here’s a breakdown of what’s been going on:

Sunday: It was a beautiful day – the kind that makes you wish the day would never end and you could just run around like a 6 year old forever. I needed to be out in the sun and recharge my Vitamin D, so I rode 14 miles on my bike around Central Park. I wanted more of an adventure than that but I had a ballet class to get to so I restricted my adventure to the park. Not too shabby in the grand scheme of things, though!  After ballet I remembered that it was June 1 and I had to swim. I couldn’t skip the first day of my little deal with myself or that would set the entire plan off on the wrong foot, and so I dragged myself to the pool and slowly picked up where I left off. And guess what? It was fabulous. I could tell that I had taken some time off, but I was doing it and that was all that mattered.

Monday: I woke up early and swam before work.

Back in the pool, back to the grind. The monotonous and continuous motion of stroke, stroke, stroke, breathe was actually very calming first thing in the morning. Who knew? (I used to go to the pool before work here and there, but didn’t remember it being quite that calming.) I kind of loved being there so early in the morning.  There were other people there, but it was relatively empty and quiet compared to how it is on the weekends or when I go after work – a great way to begin the week.

Tuesday: More swimming before work. Can you tell I’m serious about this whole swimming thing? I was faster than Monday and was able to swim many more continuous laps than when I was there on Sunday, and it felt good.  That night I went to my usual Muay Thai class (that place is still one of my favorite places to be!) and talked swimming with one of the guys who is also doing the triathlon.  When I got home there was a package waiting for me – my wetsuit!!! 

 

I love that thing and it makes me feel like a superhero!

Wednesday: It was National Running Day so I woke up bright and early for a 7 mile run before work!  Then I threw my bathing suit and wetsuit into my bag and waited anxiously for the work day to end so that I could get to the TNT group swim and test out my wetsuit.  Swimming in a wetsuit is SO COOL.  I felt faster, lighter, float-ier – a little Michael Phelps in training! 

Today will just be a Muay Thai day, followed by a long bike adventure tomorrow since I have the day off of work.  Then… the first open water swim at Coney Island with TNT followed by a team run on the boardwalk!!!  I can’t wait to get into that water.

11 weeks in, 9 weeks left!

9 weeks until the triathlon!  That means 2 things: 1 week before the first open water swim at Coney Island, and about 6 weeks until the fundraising deadline.  Thanks to YOU and all your generosity, I have been able to raise 69% of my goal of $4,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  They have provided fabulous coaches through Team in Training to ensure that I, and everyone else on the team, will do our very best on race day. Because of them I’ve gotten more confident with my swimming, learned how to repair a bike tire, and am always one day closer to accomplishing my goal of becoming a triathlete.  I may never be a doctor and cure cancer myself, but I can use whatever I have to raise awareness and funds that go toward finding a cure. And I have feet that love to run, legs that feel at home on a bike, arms that (are learning to) like swimming, and a hankering for adventure! 

For those of you who have donated:

If you have not, please consider it. Every dollar helps!  Visit my fundraising page, and feel free to pass it along to anyone who might be interested: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nyctri14/Meredith

This week is going to focus mostly on swimming – lots and lots of swimming – in preparation for that open water swim in 6 days (with the usual running, biking, Muay Thai, and ballet mixed in).  My wetsuit should arrive by Wednesday, which I am really excited about, and I’ll have the chance to swim with it in the pool with the team before we jump into the Atlantic!!  I have a feeling I will love wearing the wetsuit much more than my nerdy one-piece bathing suit.

Just wait and see what happens!

Let’s talk about BRICKs!

This is the beginning of week 10 of triathlon training.  10 weeks in, 10 more to go. Halfway there.  Hump week, as one of the coaches put it.  At this rate August 3rd will be here before we know it – a thought that is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. 

I’ve been working on BRICK sessions lately – biking and then going straight into running. (I think BRICK can be used when you transition from any event into another one, but we just use it for biking to running.)  I’m not sure where the term BRICK comes from.  (I also didn’t put any effort into researching it –  the most I did was wonder out loud in a group of people who thought about it for a second and then shrugged their shoulders.)  So I decided that it stands for “Bike and Run? Ick!!” When I think of biking and running without much of a break in between, my first thought is “Ugh” but I guess BRUGH sessions just don’t have the same ring. 

Running immediately after biking is… interesting.  I’m not sure my legs will ever totally get used to it, but at least I am learning what to expect.  Here’s how it usually goes:

The first few steps are wobbly, and I am pretty positive that there is a 98% chance that I am about to fall over, and I brace myself for a crash to the ground.  (It must be what Ariel from The Little Mermaid felt when she got her legs for the first time.)  Several seconds later I am less wobbly and the chance of me falling over is down to about 10%.  At this point, though, I still feel like I don’t have much control over my legs.  It’s a strange feeling – like my legs are slightly weighed down (maybe with… bricks!!??  Could that be where it comes from?) and I am trying to run while on a trampoline or in a bouncy house.  I tend to run faster than usual when starting the running portions of BRICK sessions, probably because my legs seem to be independent from the rest of me and they’re just doing their thing.  I have to really be conscious of my pace if I don’t want to crash and burn later on.

Today I did a 13 mile bike ride through Central Park.  Because it was Memorial Day and 85 degrees out, all of the tri-state area was there too – biking, laying out, walking, picnicking, BBQing, soaking up the sun.  To say it was crowded would be an understatement.  But 13 miles went off without a hitch (for me at least – some kid really wiped out on a Razr scooter), and I met Katharine by the reservoir, passed along my bike and helmet to her, and then started running. (Katharine did her own BRICK today and ran a 5k before doing a full 6.2 mile loop around the park on the bike!) 

I had intended to run 3 miles, but stopped at 2.  I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to do the full 3 miles, but sometimes those legs just need a rest! (And I am bad at remembering to schedule rest days.)  Besides, this also happened so it was hard to stay disappointed:

A PR during a BRICK?  I’ll take it!!

The Brooklyn Half Marathon – the stuff that PRs are made of!

Another weekend, another race!  Saturday was the Brooklyn Half Marathon.  I’d heard amazing things about this half marathon and couldn’t wait to run it!

The starting line was in Brooklyn near Prospect Park.  I was happy to not run in Central Park for a change, but the commute to Brooklyn was not something that I particularly looked forward to, but I was ready.  For the most part. I was out a little later than I expected the night before supporting some pals at an event, but 4 hours of sleep? No sweat – let’s do this, I thought when my alarm clock went off. (At least I hoped it would be no sweat! Who needs sleep anyway, right?)  I jumped right out of bed, had a vanilla bean Chia pod, grabbed a Quest bar for the train and headed out the door.

There were over 25,500 people running this half marathon (making it the biggest one in the country!) and so there were 2 starting waves – 7:00am and 7:45am. Luckily I was in wave 2 because at 7am I was still a borough away waiting for the 4 train.  I was amped up and ready to go though! My Mizunos felt good, I had a new tank top on that Katharine had gotten me, and it was definitely shorts weather and perfect for a little 13.1 mile run from Prospect Park to Coney Island! My excitement stayed with me as I transferred to the 2 train and ate my Quest bar.

7:45 rolled around and runners took their marks. Well, most runners did. I assume they did, anyway – I was still stuck on the 2 train with 3 other runners. Since the race was so big, we were hoping that it would take at least 20 or so minutes for all the runners to cross the starting line. If that happened then we had plenty of time to get there and sneak into the mob somewhere!   We ran out of the subway at Franklin Avenue and saw lots of runners still making their way to the starting line – and lots of barricades blocking entry to the race course. We would have to go all the way around to the back before we would be able to join the runners. Or so we thought – until a race volunteer saw us with our race bibs and frantically asked if we were part of wave 2. She acted like we were late for getting our Nobel Peace Prizes or something.  But she opened a barricade and let us into the rabble of runners – just feet away from the starting line.  Ok, let’s do this. No stretching. No last minute prepping. Just get it started!  I wished the other 3 late runners good luck and was on my way! Here is the course:

My headphones were tangled up in my armband where I had my phone and I didn’t have a chance to wrestle both earbuds loose before I started running, so I only put one in. I actually preferred that – I was able to really take in my surroundings, hear the cheers and all that was going on around me, but if I needed some extra encouragement from my pals Ludacris, Rihanna, Jared Leto, or the rest of the gang, I had that too. Best of both worlds!

As I ran, I realized how much I loved the Brooklyn Half – it totally lived up to the hype. The first 10 miles were a breeze. I actually couldn’t believe that they went by so easily.  We went around outside Prospect Park, then through the park before exiting onto Ocean Parkway around mile 7 and continuing straight down to Coney Island. I expected those few straight miles on the parkway to be tedious and pretty terrible, but they were great! The crowd was hyper and enthusiastic, cheering us on with signs. “You’re faster than the G train!” “Your perspiration is my inspiration!” “Run faster, Solange is coming!”  “Run now, mimosas later!”

I had really wanted to wear my Vivobarefoot sneakers, but opted for the Mizunos at the last second because my feet were a little angry with my choice of shoe the day before and I thought my ankles could use some extra support, and I didn’t regret that decision – the Mizunos were getting the job done!  My feet, ankles, knees, hips, everything felt good. 

Just when I started to get a little bored running on the parkway, I started to smell something that perked me right up.  The beach!! That salty air filled my nose and all I wanted was to see those waves crash against the sand. I’d been waiting since August to see the beach again and it was somewhere right up ahead.  We turned onto Surf Avenue, a cluttered street filled with huge signs and awnings advertising Nathan’s famous hot dogs, fried clams, pizza, and pretty much everything and anything else crammed between touristy beachy storefronts.  Man, I love it.  It was clear we were in Coney Island!

We turned onto W. 10th Street briefly before going up an incline onto the boardwalk.  From there it was just beach on one side, the crowd on the other, and the famous Coney Island amusement park just beyond the finish line.  I crossed that line in 1:55:46 – 4 minutes faster than my previous fastest half!  It was a beautiful day for a personal record, that’s for sure!!!

 

In 3 weeks I’ll be back in Coney Island for the first open water swim with TNT.  It’s probably about time to look into getting a wetsuit!  I’ll keep you posted.

Why I Run

I don’t think it’s any secret that I like to run. Today is Wednesday and since my last post on Friday I’ve logged just over 21 miles so far and I have a half marathon coming up on Saturday. Lately I feel like I have a race every weekend and when I am not getting ready for a race I am anxiously waiting for the next time I can put on one of my many pairs of sneakers and run out into the world.  (I have a sneaker problem – I can’t stop buying them.)

Running wasn’t always something that I connected so closely with – it was just another form of exercise. Sometimes when I was little and needed a time out or something, my dad wouldn’t send me to my room or take away television privileges – he would have me run around the house 3 or 4 times (sometimes even with some push-ups in between!). But even then, as much as I may have hated it because it was something that I was being told I had to do, I remember that I usually felt calmer, better, more relaxed after.  And I always loved running around like a banshee in the backyard, or in the park, or as part of a game with friends or my sisters.

I ran a bit in high school as part of conditioning for tennis and in college at one point made it a routine to run 3-6 miles a day, but there was still something missing – it was exercise because we lived in our bikinis in college and wanted to stay in shape. There was something superficial, and therefore strained and forced, about running.  But it was always a good escape and a way of getting more level-headed when the chaos of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness got a little overwhelming!

It wasn’t until I started running in NYC a few years after I moved here that my view of running changed. It became less of a monotonous exercise or punishment that I was inflicting upon myself and more of a calming mechanism. It became my time. My time to think, to push myself, to fully break away from everyone and everything and reconnect with whatever I needed to reconnect with. Just me, my mind and nature. (It actually took a long time before I would even consider running with anyone – just the thought of it seemed like a gross invasion of my privacy. And there are times when it still feels like that, but other times having a running partner just adds more to the run. Especially the right running partner.)  At that time, I didn’t run extremely regularly.  Usually just to clear my head whenever I needed it.

Anyway – I was out running the 6.2 mile outer loop at Central Park one day after a particularly tough day. I needed to clear my mind and decompress and running was my escape, as it had been in the past. Before long, I realized that I was almost done with the loop – I hadn’t even stopped to walk at either of the two hills that usually tried to kill me each time I attempted them. I went past the beginning of the loop and did almost 8 miles. That was when things started to change. It was a little victory – stress on the “little”. In the grand scheme of everything it didn’t make any kind of difference. People run more than that, faster than that, with no sweat. But in my world, it was the beginning of something. I was a little more self-aware. I knew myself just a little bit better, and I had done something that I had not done before, that I hadn’t really known that I was capable of doing. In his book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Haruki Murakami talks about that feeling after he completed a 62 mile run. While I haven’t (yet ;-)) run that far, I get what he was saying:

That’s when I started pushing myself more. Why stop there? Why not try to run better or faster or harder than the last time and see what I could do? Before long I started to see what I was really made of. I was in competition with myself while learning more about how to excel – experimenting with different strides on different terrains and inclines, different sneakers, reading up on heart rates and strides per minute. I found myself running 10 miles at a time with ease, pushing it to 15 and even 20 miles.  I’m not saying that it was always fun but even through the exhaustion or the pain, I was learning something.  Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek uses a quote by William James in his book Eat and Run to sum that up: “Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction.” If I had never pushed myself, I might still be content with 6.2 miles at a time and never really know the full extent of what I could do.  I might never be training for the triathlon and expanding those methods to biking and swimming.  One day I might even break through that wall of obstruction when it comes to swimming.  I haven’t quite gotten there yet. (Also, I think the discipline I’ve gotten through testing myself with running has also translated to other parts of my life which is always a good thing!)

I recently just finished Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.  Everyone around me is probably so sick about me talking about it, but I loved that book and totally recommend it.  Even if you don’t consider yourself a runner, it’s worth it.  I promise.  The hidden tribe is the Tarahumara in Mexico –  the running people. That’s what they do, they run.  A ton.  Sometimes 100 miles a day!  They get it:

I don’t know – that passage totally resonated with me.

I like the feeling I get after a long run, or after sprinting a mile trying to break my record (now 7:33).  Each race and run presents another opportunity to do something new in my little world.  Scott Jurek said that “Every single one of us possess the strength to attempt something he isn’t sure he can accomplish.”  I chose to attempt pushing the boundaries with running, which led me to the triathlon – to where I am right now.  It has also led me back to ballet and to venture from boxing into Muay Thai.  It’s a busy schedule, one that a lot of people don’t understand, but I wouldn’t change it!

But no matter how far or how fast or how often I run, I’m pretty sure this will always be true:

 

Flashback Friday!

Let’s flash back to my first “real” half marathon, shall we? December 14, 2013 – a day that will first and foremost forever be remembered as Frickin Freezing. That day was the Brooklyn Holiday Half – 13.1 miles along the water in Bay Ridge near the Verrazano Bridge. It was 27 degrees, snowy and icy.

I had run probably around 6 “unofficial” half marathons before this one, but those were just for fun. They were long runs that I did by myself – just me and my Nike+ watch – or with a friend as he was training for the NYC Marathon.  They weren’t officially timed and documented races with a bib and swag and all the finish line glory.  Just your run-of-the-mill half marathons on a whim!  This was also my first winter half.

My friend Andy (who subsequently got me involved with Team in Training and the NYC Triathlon) and I ran the Brooklyn Holiday Half together. Here is my before picture.  (Poor little girl is so excited and doesn’t realize she will soon be a living and breathing icicle.)

By the time Andy and I got our bibs and swag bag, my toes and fingers were getting more and more numb. I had layers and a fleece hat on, and awesome little running glove/mittens that I had gotten the day before, but thank God for the fleece neck warmer thing that I put around my face or I think it would have frozen right off. We took our minds off the cold by taking some pictures – it is rarely too cold for pictures.

While we waited and after we checked our bags, Andy ran up and down a dock several times to warm up and I pretended to stretch while watching the falling snow and wondering if we were all completely crazy. It was perfect fireplace and hot chocolate weather. Grilled cheese and tomato soup weather. Snuggly blanket and a stupid RomCom movie weather. Not really half marathon by the water weather, especially for a little girl who tends to hibernate in the winter (unless she’s snowboarding).  But there were people there in shorts so I decided that if they weren’t complaining, then neither should I!  I knew what I was getting myself into and had fleece-lined running tights keeping my legs slightly warmer than their shorts were keeping theirs.

Anyway – we lined up, someone said remarks about how tough we were for being out there in the snow and sub-freezing temperatures and told us to be careful around water stations because the ground around them were already starting to ice up and would no doubt become worse.  Soon after we started I felt myself becoming warmer as I got into the groove of the race.  I ran for warmth but, more importantly, I ran for the free post-race pasta lunch.  I couldn’t wait.  I probably smiled just thinking about it.

The course was pretty straightforward – down along the waterfront, then turn around and back to the starting line, and then repeat.  The first half was fine.  Since it was a new place where I had never run before I was taking in all the sights and sounds.  I am a water girl, so just running by any body of water is always super calming and enjoyable for me.  Even with the Arctic chill smacking me in the face. (And it was smacking me in the face pretty hard!)  The highway was also right there and cars kept honking at us, cheering us on – I loved that. But by the time I ran the second half of the race, I had adopted a “been there, done that” attitude, since I had just literally been there, done that.  Snow had started falling a bit harder and the flakes that landed on my eyelashes were no longer whimsical, and there were newly formed patches of ice scattered around.  Parts of my face were numb and air that I was sucking in was so cold that it hurt my throat.

I was trying to break my standing record of 2 hours and Andy was using this race as a tapering run since he was doing a half Ironman a few weeks later (the man is a beast!) so we didn’t run together much.  I used two girls in front of me as pacers for a good portion of the second half of the race and tried to avoid any snowy or slippery spots on the course.  Somewhere along the way I pulled the fleece off of my face, rolled up my sleeves and considered taking my cool little glove/mittens off.  (I ended up compromising and only taking one off.)  I was warm – or fully numb – and running like it was just another practice run.  Until disaster hit near mile 9!! (ok, that might be a little dramatic.) I reached out at a water station to grab a drink and spilled it all over my bare hand and wrist.  The glove quickly went back on.  I had to clench my hand into a fist inside the glove to warm it up while I wondered how I would be able to properly function after my fingers were amputated from the frostbite that I would inevitably get, and the pros and cons of a Robo hand.  My fingers were fine after they regained feeling (poor little things were shocked!), but I refused to grab a drink for the rest of the race and let it sabotage me again. Take that, water.

The rest of the race was more or less fine.  I slid once on some ice at one point but it was nothing major.  (Later on my lower back was a little sore, and I think I tweaked it a little when I slid, but I didn’t notice it until a few hours later and within a day or so it was completely gone.)  I know that I definitely talked myself through the last mile.  Out loud.  A full on pep talk.  Sometimes you just need that extra push!  But I crossed the finish line in 1:59:40 – juuuuust under my 2 hour record!  I collected my medal, got a banana that I ended up throwing away because it was waaay under-ripe, and sat down on the cold ground.  Bad idea – I was frozen again in about 30 seconds flat and couldn’t move.  This must be what hypothermia feels like.  Don’t people get a rush of warmth before hypothermia takes over? I waited for that warmth as I checked my phone.  My fingers were moving so slowly.  It took what felt like 5 minutes before I was able to send a text with my time.  I decided to get up when I figured that I probably felt similar to how Rose in Titanic felt like as she laid on that slab of wood in the ocean.  Andy and I had said that we would meet at the bar that was giving us the free pasta, so I dragged myself off the ground and headed over.  Andy had a great run and we were ready for pasta!  We ate, he had a beer while I had about 4 waters, and then we began the long journey home.

Overall – that half was a success!

The trek took nearly 2 hours because of the usual weekend train trouble, and I felt like I had been dragged to the edge of the earth and back by the time I made it home.  I was sore, tired, and wheezing, and I had an old man cough for the next day.  My lungs hurt from all that cold air.  (I’m assuming. I’ve never had that happen before.)  BUT by the time I got home, Katharine had grilled cheese, tomato soup, hot chocolate with marshmallows, a snuggly blanket, AND a stupid RomCom waiting for me as a surprise.  All that was missing was a fireplace!

 

Bikes and Bootcamp

Week 6 of triathlon training has been…. challenging.  I did Muay Thai twice, ran a couple times, rode my bike, and was getting over a massive migraine the rest of the week.  Like, the worst kind of migraine – the one that messes up your vision and makes you nauseous and dizzy and the only thing that provides any relief is a dark room with closed eyes while you hope you fall asleep quickly so you can stop wondering if this is what a brain tumor or aneurysm feels like. (Web MD is the devil.) I used to get migraines pretty often until I stopped drinking insane amounts of coffee.  Actually, I stopped drinking coffee altogether almost a year ago, replaced it with unsweetened green tea, and the migraines went from regular to rare.  Just like magic.  Too bad a couple weeks ago I felt like it was absolutely necessary to try the new Baskin Robbins flavored iced coffees at Dunkin Donuts.  One sip and I was hooked again.  It was like crack and diabetes in a medium-sized cup and I couldn’t stop.  Long story short – I did this to myself and am officially off coffee again.  (At least until new magical flavors come out next year and I have long forgotten how terrible these migraines are.)

Today was a beautiful day, so I did what any sun-driven little girl who thrives in warm weather (the hotter the better) and the great outdoors would do – I woke up for a 7:30am bike ride with my TNT team!  Besides, my bike was just sitting there begging to be taken out again.  Who am I to deprive it?

There were three sections – basic, intermediate and advanced.  I stayed with the basic group at first because the coach was going to go over using our gears, and I tend to only use the gears on the right side and ignore the left side altogether, so I figured I could learn something.  She also went over proper form – always a good reminder!  Then she sent us off into the wild!! (Well, off into Central Park).  There were a bunch of coaches scattered around the park in case we needed some extra help.

Everything was going fine – I was paying attention to my form, really experimenting with the gears and (for once) aware of my surroundings. Or so I thought until I heard sirens and then saw a cop car pull up next to me. “Hey, bicyclist,” the cop yelled out of a half rolled down window. “You have to stop at the red light.”  I’ve run in Central Park a TON of times and have never seen any bicyclist stop at that particular place. But I’ve also never seen a cop there before either. Ok, lady cop, I thought. You got me this time. “Oh, ok – I will next time.” I told her. She looked annoyed. “If I stop you stop.” she said. “That’s the way it is.”  “Ok, thanks.” I told her and went on my way, a bit upset that she made me lose my momentum.

Oops.  Luckily none of the coaches were around!  Overall I did about 15 miles.  (2 of those miles were in the street!) Not bad for a Saturday morning!  

But I wasn’t done there.  I headed downtown to what has quickly become one of my favorite places in NYC and took a boot camp/Muay Thai combo class!  If a bike ride followed by kicking, punching and enough sweat to fill a small bucket doesn’t get you ready for the weekend, then… well… I don’t know what to tell you! 

In other news:  I am 55% of the way to my fundraising goal of $4,000!!!  You all are so generous and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) agrees!  You are not only helping me reach my goal of becoming a triathlete, but helping LLS research and find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.  If you haven’t donated, please check out my fundraising page: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nyctri14/meredith

Thanks!!!