Mental Road Block

I don't know what it is but going past the 13.1 half marathon distance just scares the ever loving shit out of me, and so instead of just doing it and getting it over with, I pussy foot around it. Two weeks ago, 14 miles was on the Galloway schedule. We went to the refuge and chaos ensued. The bugs got the best of us and we called it a day after 5+ torturous miles. Last Sunday we didn't run long at all because Charlie was recovering from a fall at work and a nice gash to his head. 14 had to get done yesterday.

So I hemmed and hawed over the best way to tackle 14 miles. I conferred with Charlie and my friend Laurie. OPTION 1: Run a 7 mile out and back run westward on Montauk Highway? That's kind of boring, a bit dangerous and I wasn't quite sure of the availability of restrooms and convenience stores along the route. OPTION 2: Head to the Selden Hills course, run the 10k course then a flat-ish 4 mile out and back course on Bicycle Path. Advantages to this plan of attack were running with others on the course and using the car as home base for fuel replenishment, but I still don't know about the bathroom situation, and would I even want to run a mile let alone 8 after the hills?... or OPTION 3: Run my local neighborhood for as many miles I can get and then go out onto Montauk Hwy for the last few out and back.

I chose door #3.

The benefit of running local is if I feel like death warmed over I would be close to home and all the comforts of it (read: TOILET!). Another advantage was most of the side streets by me have been repaved, so running is more pleasurable and less treacherous not having to dodge this winter's potholes. Instead of using my Gymboss and the 2:1 run/walk intervals, I decided to run the length of the side streets, which is about half a mile, then walk the cross streets. This method worked pretty well for the first 6 miles. I managed to get them done under 1:30 and then 8 under 2:00. I had a couple Gatorade chews and experienced my first Honey Stinger Waffle. We stopped several times to enjoy many of the neighbors sprinkler systems. It was going well and I was pretty proud of myself.

Then the overwhelming desire to drink something COLD and refreshing came over me and I needed water, with ice, and a straw. So we headed back towards home and Dunkin' Donuts. We got a large lemonade iced tea and walked. I was ready to call it quits at 10 miles, but I was feeling great, actually enjoying myself and Charlie's company. I turn into a happy camper while walking. We agreed we weren't going to attempt to run after walking so much and with fluid-filled bellies. I managed to get us home at 12.05 miles. I felt good enough to continue, but with our stops along the way (chatted with a friend and cousins) we were already out for 3+ hours, so we called it a day.

Am I looking back on the run and wishing I just did the 14 miles? Of course. I might have been able to run another 2 miles, zig zagging my way back to DD at maybe 10 miles, then walking the 4 additional miles. Charlie just asks "How much are you planning to do today?" and sets it in his mind to do it. I bargain and finagle my way out of it. And I am the only one who suffers for it. I SO wanted to be able to write the post "I DID IT! MY FURTHEST DISTANCE EVER!!" But that will be for another day. Next Sunday is our son's birthday, so we're going to head back to the hills for that challenging 10k course, knowing it won't take us forever and a day AND will be great preparation for the bridges and Central Park hills of the NYC Marathon course. So August 9th it must be.

TAKEAWAYS:

Mistake #1: I rested the entire day on Saturday, but I went to the gym on Friday and got on the rowing machine for 15 minutes. I haven't rowed in a while and although I loved it, my hip flexors and shins were pissed at me. They were still tight yesterday morning.

Lesson: Don't do anything new a few days before long run day.

Mistake #2: July is hot and humid on Long Island. And guess what? It gets hotter the later in the day it is! *GASP*

Lesson: Try your damndest to get out before 7:45 am.

Mistake #3: Got all my gear together and filled my two 10 oz hydration belt bottles full to the brim with Gatorade. 20 oz of piss warm Gatorade is not enough fluid for 3+ hours of activity in said hot and humid weather.

Lesson: Either create a loop course to make pit stops at home to refill fluids or plant a stocked cooler on the course or make a quick pitstop on the course.

101 Days

Gulp. Double gulp. 101 days until the NYC Marathon. Training? This shit is hard! Now I know why only 1% of the population has finished a marathon. If it was easy we'd all be doing it. So far my longest run was the half we did on June 14th. That was a challenge to say the least. Running a fall marathon means training in the Long Island heat and humidity. I don't want to turn into a whiny bitch, but my 5' 175 lb body was NOT made for running in those conditions! I melt like the Wicked Witch of the West out there!

Since the half, my longest run/walks have been 10.65 miles (in 3:02) on 6/28, a 10k (in 1:30) on the Selden Hills course on 7/5 and 7.85 miles (in 1:47) on 7/16 with my running buddy Laurie. The 6/28 run involved a lot of walking, but the 10k and 8 miler were pretty strong runs. It was my 2nd 10k on the hills and Charlie's 1st. That course is no joke, and I think running slow and steady shorter distances on it will prove to be better training than trying to go long on the flat area around my neighborhood. The huge hills are a mental challenge that I really need to stay engaged and NOT talk myself out of getting it done. Plus, the course is about a 20 minute ride from our house and a gaggle of people are always out doing their runs, so it's a lot like the atmosphere of a race, without the entry fee!

We're Hillbillies!

My buddy Laurie and I doing the Suffolk County Marathon 8 mile training run in Sayville

According to Galloway's plan I am behind, which really helps add to the stress of all this. Last Sunday we attempted a 14 miler in Wertheim Wildlife Refuge only a few blocks from our house. We were nearly abducted by the multitude of insects inhabiting the hot and humid woods along Carman's River. It was really funny at first since Charlie was bombarded pretty much the moment we got on the trail. And then they started attacking me. Not so funny. We tried our hardest to get the hell out of there and the 1.5 mile loop somehow turned into 4 miles. It was like being in the hedge maze of 'The Shining.' That run felt like the biggest waste of time, but we got out there and did 5.5 miles in about 1:30. I don't know exactly because somehow my Garmin didn't shut off and it managed to add 1.7 miles to my distance while sitting on the kitchen counter???

We didn't even attempt a long run this past Sunday because Charlie had a little mishap at work the Tuesday before. Apparently he was stocking a warehouse shelf and fell about 10 feet off the ladder, knocking his head either on the ladder or the concrete floor. He had a really nice gash in his left eyebrow and was gushing blood. He refused medical treatment or a ride home. I got the pleasure of observing him for signs of a concussion and watched him sleep when it was time for bed. And the next morning he had the perfect purple eyeliner on his upper lid. Now it's a complete shiner, reminiscent of Petey from 'The Little Rascals.' He was forced by his boss to see a doctor on Thursday before he was permitted to return to work. Other than a horrific scar, he's going to be okay.

I'm Spanky!

I've been pretty consistent with getting to the gym to either do a short run or cross train. I <3 the adaptive motion trainer. It's a combination of a stepper, elliptical and arc trainer that gives my hips a great stretch and continues to strengthen my legs without any impact whatsoever. If I'm not on that, I'll put in some time on the arc trainer or elliptical. The silver lining through all of this is I've lost about 18 pounds since February 16th. Of course those were pounds I found with inactivity and overeating during my year hiatus from running. This truly is a never-ending journey! I want to be down another 10 pounds on marathon day, which is about 3 pounds a month. Doable. No- DONE! No excuses. Please hound me on My Fitness Pal- my screen name is lindak71.

Today I signed us both up for the 18 mile Marathon Tune-Up run on September 20th (Charlie's 49th birthday) in Central Park. The course is 3 six mile loops complete with aid stations. The course limit is 4 hours and 30 minutes. That's a 15 minute mile average. Sounds doable, but I need to step it up the next two months to get there. My first 5 or 6 miles are strong and consistent, and then I start listening to that nagging voice in my head, screaming at me "THIS IS HARD!" "I FEEL LIKE SHIT!" "MY LEFT CALF IS ABOUT TO START CRAMPING!" "HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS FOR 26.2 MILES??!!??"

My friends who have completed the NYC Marathon previously continue to tell me that the palpable energy of the city and the 2,000,000 spectators will get me through it when I don't think I can. I pray they are right. And when I don't think I can do it, I need to put one foot in front of the other for all the people who WISH they could, including all of the kids that the EJ Autism Foundation, the charity I am running for, helps support here on Long Island. The BEST news I have to share with you all? Due to the tremendous turn out I had for the paint night/raffle event I hosted this past Friday, I ACHIEVED MY GOAL!!!! My friend Geri with Let's Party 'Artsy is a great painting instructor, and 28 friends and family members came to support my cause, painting a beautiful red sunflower, as well as purchased hundreds of dollars worth of raffle tickets for prizes donated by RoadID, Albionfit, Fusion Life Brand, Tupperware, The Pampered Chef, Bulu Box, Martha Clara Vineyards, Sayville Running Company, Kay Cameron Jewelers, Unique Fitness (my gym!) and Vanity Hair Salon. I am SO grateful to everyone who wants to help kids diagnosed on the autism spectrum as well as help me realize my dream of running the NYC Marathon with Charlie. I need to remember each and every one of you who helped while I am out there pounding the pavement. I shall not squander this opportunity and your generosity!!

All my friends and family's masterpieces!

I continue to fundraise.... My NYC Marathon Fundraising Page