You Only Get One First...

And today was the day. My first official race.... and it was awesome!


Its a good thing I'm better at keeping up with my training that I am at keeping up with this blog. Apparently I'm a terrible blogger. I can't seem to conjure up the enthusiasm to blog about running after I've finished a run but tonight is different... I've officially run my first race!


Flashback to the beginning for some perspective--When we first started TNT I had a really hard time running even the shortest distances and definitely had my fair share of doubts. I remember that first day out, struggling to make it 3 or 4 minutes without turning beet red and regretting my decision to take on this massive challenge. But since then each practice and run has gotten better. I run farther, faster and feel stronger each time. Where 5 weeks ago 1 mile made me want to keel over, it now feels like nothing. And suddenly out of nowhere Central Park feels much smaller and much less overwhelming than it did that first day of TNT.

Last night was a turning point for me--at practice we worked on increasing the rotation of our arms and as a result increasing our stride. I ran with a coach for a while, taking his advice on how to improve my form and finished the 3.4 miles 18 minutes faster than I did that first day of TNT. I'm sorry, I don't think I gave that enough emphasis. 18 minutes! (technically more if you consider the first TNT run was 3.2 miles and last night was 3.4... humor me please.) I'm not in any way saying I'm a speed demon, it still took me 42 minutes to complete the 3.4 miles, but I was steady throughout the workout, more efficient, and felt great after vs. the first run where I wanted to pass out.



So my first official race...


About 6 weeks ago when charlie and I first signed up for TNT we also signed up for the JP Morgan challenge. If we were going to become "runners" we thought we might as well start doing the things that runners do, like races. At the time I remember having mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, we had just signed up to train for a 26.2 mile race so this race should feel like nothing. On the other hand I had never run before and in a mere 6 weeks I would have to run 3.5 miles. That was 3.5 miles more than I had ever considered running and it was only weeks away. I was terrified of being the last one and looking like a sweaty fool when I finally dragged my non-runner butt through the finish line.


So tonight was the big night: The JP Morgan Corporage Challenge. To be honest, even after last night's success I really wanted no part of this event today. My muscles were tired from last night and it didn't help that it was gloomy and overcast (yet again) and that there were 15,000 people there waiting to run the course. Fortunately I have my running pal who helps me get past those lazy moments.

So we set off for the park, safety pinned on our first racing numbers and hit the path... and waited and waited and waited till the crowds finally got moving. Torture! After becoming accustomed to wide open streets in Central Park running with all of those people (or should I sat zigzagging between all of those people) was a real pain. Before we even hit mile 1 I was tired, it was humid, and I was sick of trying not to turn walkers into speed bumps but I pushed through. Once I made it through the thick crowds the streets started to open up, I got into a groove and started to feel great again. Sure, I still get my moments where I'm feeling tired and sore but its truly shocking to me that running doesn't feel like torture or punishment anymore! By the time I hit that last mile I felt amazing! I kicked in the new "increased stride" we learned about last night and pushed through the finish line. That first finish line felt amazing but for me the greatest part of all is realizing how far I've come... where 3.5 miles felt scary 5 weeks ago it feels like no big deal now. I actually uttered the words "Oh, Its only 3.5 miles" yesterday. Crazy!


So there it is folks--First race down. I never thought I'd ever run recreationally and today I ran my first race! A long way to go but one step closer to marathon success!

Thank You's & Shout Outs
I want to send a special shout out and thank you to the people who have supported me through words of inspiration and donations!! Thank you Juliet, Kelly and Autumn for your donations! I can't tell you how much your donations have meant to me. And thank you to all those who joined my facebook group and sent messages cheering me on! Keep it coming! As the runs get longer I'm definitely going to need your continued support.

Thanks again everyone! Until Saturday...

Thanks for the motivation!

After Saturday's run I was reaaaally hurtin' (or as I like to say I "had a hurtness") in the legs. Honestly, I think its because I really didn't put much effort into stretching after and was more excited to get on with the day than give stretching a legit chance. So despite the workout calendar, I took yesterday off. All day I thought, I'll make it up tonight... I'll go after work. By the time I got home and made it up the stairs to my apartment I had lost all motivation to stick to that... until I saw I had 5 followers on my blog! When I saw that I felt obligated to lace up my sneakers and hit the park. And I did better than expected! My 5 followers took me 3.25 miles further than my couch would have taken me tonight. Thanks you 5! :-)

Stay tuned for a recap of our first official "training" session tomorrow. Apparently we're doing something freaky called the "tiki tiki run." There better be pina colada's at the end. Seriously.

Long Run...

The scariest / best things about Saturday long-runs are that they're always the "longest run I ever did." Now granted, before team in training pretty much any run was the "longest run" but now that I'm actually training regularly that actually means something. What was amazing for me today was looking back to where I was a month ago.

My first pre-TNT run... I set out to the park thinking "how hard can this be" and made it a whopping 3 minutes before thinking I was gonna die. This, ladies and gentleman, is the lunatic who signed up to run a marathon. That first run, I walk/ran from the Columbus circle entrance around towards the 72nd Street transverse and pooped out before I even got half way around the lower-loop. I don't remember the exact mileage off the top of my head but it was barely over a mile.

Today was my 3rd "Long Run" Saturday with TNT--unfortunately I missed last week's meet. I was nervous as this week has been true allergy-hell. Pollen counts have been through the roof and I've been wheezing like a 78 year old chain smoker all week. None the less--I set out to do my best. The TNT coach Ramon told us we run in all weather because there is a possibility it could be bad weather on the actual day of the race. I figured the same holds true for allergy-hell... It may suck to try and run through it but there's no guarantee there won't be something in the air on race-day that triggers uncomfortable breathing. So, armed with a handful of tissues, benadryl and my inhaler I hit the park... for my "longest run ever" of 4 miles. Ok... so some of you may think 4 miles is no biggee, but remember I'm a "non-runner." I didn't run EVER... for anything! Not for a bus, a taxi, to beat the rain... nothing. I was practically keeled over after 3 minutes of slow jogging a month ago, and today I'm proud to say I got through those 4 miles, allergies and all! I walked here and there to get through some coughing, but overall did really well for me! TNT Long run 3... Success!

So today before most had crawled out of bed I had already run 4 miles. (Here's where Charlie and I give a high five.) Then on top of running success Charlie & I saved the day of Central Park tourist. Aright--It wasn't CPR or anything, but we did find a google phone and jumped through way too many hoops to get it back to an apparently indifferent tourist. We're hoping God rewards our efforts by waving his magic wand and making next week's long run that much easier.

So Saturday recap... allergies (bad), 4 miles (not as bad as I thought), finding & returning a g-phone (obviously heroic), my first running blister (ouch), successfully completing my new "longest run ever"... awesome.

Stay tuned.

Did you know I'm a runner?

Yeahhh----Neither did I.

Sounds funny... go head, laugh. I'm laughing right along with you. But its no joke. I'm a runner. Well, a run/walker right now but I'm going to be a runner. And hopefully within the next 149 days because on October 25th, I'll be running my first marathon. You heard me right... marathon!

Chances are if you're actually taking the time to read this (thank you by the way) you know me pretty well... and you know I'm no runner. I don't run... I gave up succeeding at that sport back on the Hillside Grade School field. I have always hated it... and I mean really hated it. But you probably also know I'm a little bit kooky... I love a challenge, I love competition (even if its with myself) and love excuses to celebrate. Still confused on how I landed on training for a marathon? So am I. But somehow I did.

A few months ago as the weather started to get nicer in NY, my adventure buddy, John and I started a routine of Saturday NY activities... that is before he ditched me and joined the Navy. We hit up museums I'd never seen before, ate at restaurants that still turn my stomach at the thought, found the world's coolest fro-yo place, walked a kajillion miles around Manhattan and biked central park (not as easy as it sounds.) It was on one of our adventures I stumbled across a "Team In Training" brochure. I'd heard of them before and had a friend who raved about her experience with the organization but never actually considered it for myself. I mean, me? A marathon runner? I don't "run." In fact I distinctly remember watching the NYC marathon last year and thinking "those people are nuts!" But I suddenly felt inspired. I loved this new routine of being active outside in NY... whether it was 12 mile walks or vigorous bike rides through Central Park. And instead of wasting money on a gym, here was an opportunity to be part of an organization that does amazing things: Raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research and in the process turning non-runners (me) into marathon runners (me in 149 days.) Right there... in the bike shop I decided it was time for me to get over my hatred for running and try something new.

Fortunately, crazy people tend to run in packs and I managed to rope another looney-bin into the madness. And thus, Charlie and I began our 6 month journey towards the finish line. (Check out the before picture cause those people are already gone. We plan to take turns bouncing quarters off eachothers asses in about 4 months.)

So here I am... on the eve of my 3rd Saturday "long run" and thought it was finally time to start documenting my training. It's going to be a long ride to October 25th... lots of laughs, sweat, and probably tears... but it will be worth it! If not for the satisfaction of crossing the finish line, for the stories and memories made along the way. Stay tuned... This girl's going from non-runner to Marathone runner! And she's taking that tall bearded guy with her. Yippee!