NYRR Colon Cancer 15K + Marathon Training Lately

Apparently, we are now less than a month out from the NJ Marathon. Ahhh when did that happen?

I am not going to lie, this training cycle has me at times questioning my sanity and at others so looking forward to running another marathon. It seriously changes by the minute.

I think in a way I am getting a tad burned out by always being in training mode. I have been in training since the fall of 2011 without a break. I have some exciting things lined up for summer but as of now, while I am excited at the prospect of the marathon and ultrathon coming up (say prayers for me) I am also really excited for a break. I will most likely still run most days but I am looking forward to less structure.

Anyways. About that marathon training!



Daily Mile is so enthusiatic

I definitely toned down some of the mileage the past couple of weeks. My legs have been quite beat and I have added in quite a bit of cross training. Have I mentioned I haven't gone over 16 miles in a training run? Like I said, say prayers for me and this marathon!

On Sunday I incorporated the NYRR Colon Cancer Challenge 15K into my long run.

Saturday I had volunteered for the start/finish area at the Scotland 10K (by the way, so much fun! although cold). So I only wound up running 3 miles - and was exhausted from getting up at 4:30 and being on my feet until 11:30 so was desperate to finish them and wound up doing them on the faster side. Always smart.

I got to Central Park around 8:45 on Sunday (yay 10:15 start!) picked up my bib, dropped off my bag and began to plug away at my mileage.

I decided to not eat anything before as I wasn't in the mood to deal with stomach shenanigans and hoped this would stop them.

I ran up the east side to the reservoir where I finished two loops before heading back down to the race start. I tried to begin conservatively but started around 9:45 and then progressively dropped the pace each mile as I warmed up. It felt fine but I also knew that I was most likely going to bonk out at some point.

I made a bathroom pitstop on my way down and I reached the corrals around 10:10 and just under 6 miles into my long run pre race. Perfect timing. We started shortly after and I could feel that I was a little tight from stopping but not too bad. My goal was to not really pay attention to pace but I wound up doing those first two miles in the 9 territory. I slowed down a little bit (or well FORCED to slow down by means of rolling hills on the west side thank you no hills in forever for this lady) and then my stomach got a bit off. I drank water starting at the first stop since if I wasn't going to fuel I should probably have some water so you know, I don't die.

I had to walk a little through the water stop down toward the south end of the loop and stopped for the bathroom there. I was frustrated but I also didn't care that much. I was not going for time by any means and while there was no way I could continue to run without the stop, my stomach wasn't AS bad as normal.

Shortly after I bumped into my running partner Tara who was volunteering!



A shining example of just how much I was NOT racing.

I may or may not have stopped and chatted with her for a couple minutes. I was definitely stalling my way back to running. Oops.

From here on out the run definitely got hard. On my way up Cat Hill for the 3rd time I am positive I was questioning why I run. Why another marathon was necessary and why couldn't I be normal and be happy with a one and done scenario. Then we hit the flats and I was all okay this isn't that bad.

Then as we were going across the 102nd transverse towards the west side, again, my stomach went off and I started to 100% psych myself out thinking of the rolling hills.

I stopped for the bathroom again and then was on my merry way.

I was still pacing in the high 9's so that was alright but the hills were taking a toll and my buns and calves were burning up.

Then I hit that magical 8 marker and was all - 1.3 miles, piece.of.cake. and was smiles for the remainder of the race.


15K? More like 15M.

 

All DONE. Feed me.

I have no idea what my time was for the race. I took breaks, I took my time through water stops and was not running it for time. I enjoy throwing races into training because it helps to pass the time! Overall time with everything included, not too bad. Oh and no fuel for 15 miles, pretty sure that won't fly for 26.2. I will figure it out.

Should I have run a couple more...probably but my rationale is that those hills compensated for a couple miles and NJ is going to be 100% flat. Like I said say prayers for me since that has been my mentality lately about this marathon. I am either going to surprise myself or its going to be pretty miserable. I am running it to beat my Miami 4:33 but other than that my goal race is in the fall, this is for "fun".

Fingers crossed, but the stomach DOES seem to be improving. Did I stop? Yes. BUT it wasn't as bad and I am only at the beginning stages of really taking things out of my diet that "could" be problematic. I did 5 miles last night for recovery that were totally FINE. Then again morning is when I usually have issues, but still. Here's hoping that just under a month out if I keep up this strictness with the diet (more on that later...) then shit (totally intended) won't be as bad.