13 posts tagged “marathon”
Well, I kept intending to write a really good race report on the marathon. You know how that goes... So here we are, over a month later and I still haven't posted one. Things got a little crazy after the race, including a move overseas for work.
In a nutshell, the race went well. The weather was better than last year, giving more overcast skies to shield us from the sun. It was misting at the start, but we didn't have any other rain during the time I was on the course. It started pouring rain soon after I got back to the hotel from the finish area.
My knee didn't bother me too much during the race. I did have problems with blisters on the inside edge of my big toes. One of them ripped while I was running at about Mile 16. That was painful, but I kept going and the pain subsided. I was doing pretty well until the dreaded Mile 19 stretch with the few hills on the course. My quads were really starting to bug me by the time I passed the Upstate NY Team in Training support crew at Mile 22. I was about ready to break down in tears. Looking at the Nike+ record, this was the low point in my pace. However, after making it through Disney Studios and seeing my mom and another friend at the exit I resolved to pick up the pace a bit. I had pretty much negative splits from the Mile 22 to the finish. Just as I was making my way around the World Showcase at Epcot, I got a calf cramp! I kept going though and it subsided. There was no way I was stopping at that point. My final chip time was just over 5:34, nearly 30 minutes off my time from last year. I was pretty happy with that.
Here's a photo of me and my mom at the TNT victory party. I'll upload some race pictures soon (hopefully!).
The race is this Sunday! Eek! I'm runner #12894. I'm still a little wary of the race. I have been trying out some different socks, but I think I'm going to go with the beat up pair of New Balance ones that I wore for the marathon the first time around. I'm hoping to get a new pair of Race Ready shorts at the Expo. I've been training with my existing pair, but I want some in black.
I bought a foam roller. That thing hurts while you're on it, but it's like a miracle cure when you're off! Wish I had started this sooner. Too bad it's too big to take to WDW with me. I am going to have to be satisfied with the Stick.
Finally, I'm very happy with what I've accomplished with my fundraising. I appreciate all the support from those who donated.
Now it's on to the race. Go Team!
13 - The date of the race, and the number of days until the race. I had a pretty good running weekend. I decided to give up on the Asics Nimbus 9s. A seam at the front was rubbing a spot on my big toe and they seemed to be causing me bruised toenails on the longer runs. I think they will still work for shorter runs, so at least I won't have to ditch them completely.
That means that I am now the proud owner of a new pair of my former shoe in its new incarnation, the Saucony Trigon Ride 5. Of course they had to go and change something, so they aren't quite the same, but I laced them differently in order to avoid the new loop that was substituted for the traditional eyelet.
But the best thing about them? They're PINK! And not just any pink, the kind that makes me want to put on my tiara so I can be a pretty princess. They're so obnoxious it's actually funny, so I embrace their pinkitude. I am running at Disney World after all.
I also scored a good deal on some things at Marshall's. I got the Nike+ Sport Kit Case for $12.99 and I got two pairs of Nike anatomical socks and a pair of Patagonia ultra lightweight endurance socks, each pair for just $2.99. I'm still considering trying out the Nike Elite socks for the marathon, but I'm not sure I want to spend $12 on one pair of socks. Anyone tried those before?
So, the curtailed mileage schedule continues. I only ended up doing 10 miles on Saturday, as instructed by the TNT coaches. It is very hard to get my brain to accept that this is the right course of action, especially when presented with others going 20 miles etc. Thankfully we have entered "The Taper" so now it won't be as obvious that I am hobbled. I did put in a couple of short runs on Sunday and today. I plan to do some elliptical work tomorrow so that I don't have too much pounding on my legs.
I had a wonderful massage yesterday though. I told her to go to town, and she really cranked it up on my legs. It really seemed to help, so I think I will have another about a week before the race. Hopefully I can find someone just as good in Albany.
On the fundraising front, I am still waiting for my corporate matching to come through, and when that does I will be above my goal. However, I have to fret in the meantime. It's still not too late to donate! If you want to contribute and help fight leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers, you can still do so online at my website (http://www.active.com/donate/tntnyvt/SWien) and if you do it this year, you can take the deduction on your 2007 taxes! :)
Dink... Dink... Dink... Dink...
24 days until the marathon!
This saturday is supposed to be our last long run before the 3 week taper. I am not sure how far I will go. I may try for 16 or 18. I'll listen to what the coach has to say and do that. I don't want to push too hard, although I'm getting nervous now only having gotten to 16. I am slightly better than last year though, and definitely at a much better level of fitness.
I've been going to PT, which seems to be helping the knee and IT band/hip, but I still have some discomfort. Of course I slipped on some ice yesterday and slightly tweaked a muscle on my left side (lower back/glute)! Any little thing now is like major drama though, so I'm trying not to let it bother me. I may bring it up to the PT today.
Tonight I'm going running with some other women through the Christmas lights in a local park. Should be much more enjoyable than sitting in a car, and the temperatures aren't as bad as they have been recently.
Only 44 days until the WDW marathon! It seems like such a short time! How did the time pass by so quickly? Last night was probably my penultimate soccer game for the time being. I have been trying to find a substitute for the team but I'm not having much luck. I need to stop though. It's getting too hard to get the running mileage in and I'm worried about possible injury close to my event. I have enough problems just with the running part!
It's a little over a week until the Tower of Terror 13K race down in WDW! I'm so excited. It's going to be a great weekend trip, and I'll see a lot of my friends from California. We're also going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on Friday night. I'm still mulling over costume ideas. I bought a few small items to incorporate during the run, including an orange Champion C9 running shirt I found at Target! Score! I might pick up some more glow items for the race and/or post-race party. I can't wait to see the glow in the dark race shirt!
I checked the race day weather today, and they are predicting rain. I'm hoping it will change, since we're 11 days out, and if it doesn't then maybe the rain will just be one of those quick Florida afternoon storms.
In other news, my marathon training is going well. I have only missed a couple of runs so far. Last night I was at work later than expected, so I ran on the treadmill at the work gym. It felt pretty good, and thankfully I was able to change the nearby TV channel away from Fox News! Ick.
Today's accomplishment was getting my run in before I left for work! I'm not a morning person, so this is always something to celebrate. It's also more important on Wednesdays, because I'm still doing my women's indoor soccer league and our games are at night. I may have to give soccer up at some point along the way, but for now I seem to be handling it okay.
My fundraising is going well, and I'm planning another wine tasting event in November. It was so much fun last year. Maybe I'll do one in Albany too if I'm feeling ambitious. I'm not sure how easy it would be to get the wine donated, but I have an idea of someone I might be able to ask...
Dear Friends,
Here I am again, getting ready to participate in my second marathon fundraiser for the Luekemia & Lymphoma Society! This year, my goal is to raise $4,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by running with Team in Training on January 13, 2008. I need your help.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. The money I'm raising goes toward much-needed blood cancer research, patient assistance, and professional education. A lot of progress has been made but leukemia is still the leading cause of cancer death among people under the age of 20.
This year, I am racing in honor of 9 year-old Abby Meacham (pictured at left), my mentor for this year's race Lynne Oudekerk, and in memory of my grandmother Joan, who passed away from lymphoma. If you had told me a year ago that I would complete a 26.2-mile marathon and then want to do it again, I would have thought you were crazy! Those who continue fighting, like Abby and Lynne, and those who have passed on, like Joan, inspire me.
Please sponsor me through a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. If you're not sure how much to give, please consider a donation of $1, $2, $5 or even $10 per mile for each of the 26.2 miles. Please make your tax-deductible donation by October 31st at my website: http://www.active.com/donate/tntnyvt/SWien or contact me for offline donation information. In exchange, I promise to make it across the finish line on Sunday, January 13th!
Please feel free to comment here or message me if you have any questions, concerns or words of encouragement. Will you help me?
Thank you very much for your support!
Woooo! I made it! The weather was pretty awful for running, which resulted in a slower time than I was hoping for, but overall I had a good, consistent pace. My chip time was 6:02:29.
It's just over 10 days until the marathon! I'm getting nervous now. My ankle seems to be holding up well though, so that's a good sign. Last group run this Saturday is only 8 miles. Tonight I only had to do 3 miles on the treadmill, which was good because I wasn't able to resist eating dinner of Christmas leftovers beforehand!
