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Asics ING NYC Marathon 2009 Ad

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Having this experience in the NYC Half scared me and I experienced a mental block about running which lasted almost two weeks, thus two long runs missed from my training schedule.  It was like an equestrian falling off of a horse and trying to find the courage to get back on the saddle.  I questioned whether or not I could actually go through with the 26.2 mile jaunt I was about to take for the third time in November.  Would I feel ok during my next long run? How could I even think I was capable of running 26.2 miles again if this 13.1 hurt me so much?  I battled a lot of self doubt demons for those two weeks and finally decided it was time to get back out there. If running has taught me anything, it’s taught me that just like life, I’ll have good running days and bad running days. I thought about Paula Radcliffe a lot during those two weeks. She can be an unpredictable athlete; she has dealt with major injuries and surgeries, but she always gets back on track.  I put the race behind me and got back into running.

Despite my lack of regular training, my times have gotten significantly faster. I credit this greatly to the running classes I take with Bob and Shelly Glover through the New York Road Runners twice a  week.  I ran comfortably for the first time at an 8:40 pace for a 4 mile race.  I finished the 18 Mile NYC Marathon Tune Up in under three hours for the first time, which was 15 minutes better than last year.  I finished Grete’s Gallop Half Marathon in under two hours! Yes. I’d finally reached the under two hour threshold I’d wanted for so long. I didn’t feel great physically when I woke up that morning, but I went in with a clear mind and told myself I would just run it to finish and try to keep an even pace, no unnecessary pressure on myself.  I had forgotten to take a medication I take every morning and remembered this at Mile 4. Unexpectedly, I threw up at Mile 4 in the north hills of Central Park and kept going. I didn’t feel great physically, but I kept my pace (a bit quicker than I’m used to, but felt comfortable) and kept my mind clear of any doubt. I practiced dissociative running that day and focused on the encouragement of other runners; I hitched a ride with one or two and when it got tough, I focused on their feet going up down up down.  After I had finished the second round of the north hills, I saw a lot of people walking and I was feeling pretty ragged by that point, so I bargained with myself, “Ok, you can walk for twenty steps.” About five steps in, a man in his 50′s or 60′s whom I’d seen at many races chimed in, “C’mon. You can do this. Get back on track. Let’s run!”  That was it; that was what I needed. I misplaced my belief in my ability for a second. The matter got the best of my mind. I’m grateful for that man because he is what enabled me to make my goal time. I’m not going to lie: the last 3.1 miles were painful. I had a headache from forgetting to take the med I take every morning. My stomach was starting to bug out. I just wanted it to be over. I kept saying, “just get through it” to myself. I just wanted to slow down and run a comfortable pace. I almost told myself to go for the under two hour mark another time, another race.  As I rounded out mile 11, I knew that if I pounded out with all of my effort for the remainder of the race, I could still make it. And that’s what I did.  Albeit, right after the finish line, I was seeing spots and ended up sitting in the medical tent for a brief moment, loading up on salt packs and water, which I attribute to forgetting to take the medicine.  Despite how horrible I felt during the last part of the race and right after the finish line, I felt amazing only ten minutes after.  I finally accomplished what I believed to be impossible for me.  I felt re-connected to running and a new sense of faith in myself and my training.

Everything seemed to be wine and roses and then I got a bad flu last week, the week before what should have been my last twenty mile training run.  I called in sick to work one day and spent the better part of four days in bed. There were unconfirmed cases of H1N1 in a few people I have close contact with, so my doctor prescribed Tamiflu right away, knowing that I was just days away from my third marathon.  The Tamiflu took a lot out of me, but as soon as I finished the five day course of medicine, I felt like a new person.  I went back to running class and it was difficult, but not impossible for me.  At that point in training, all of the work has been done; there is no such thing as “cramming” for a marathon. All of the distance work is something that is done over four or more months’ time.  This training season has been far from perfect, but I feel as prepared as I can be and ready for November 1.

Thank you to Nathan Lavertue for putting this together and making it possible!