3 Weeks to Go: Time to put on my Crazy Pants.

You are probably already familiar with my super duper weird race superstitions, so now I will introduce you to my OCD behavior, known as “Crazy Pants Mode”.  This only happens before a marathon, and quite frankly, I ENJOY it.  (scary!)

Crazy Pants 1:  Diet.  With less than a month to go to my A marathon, this is where things get really spooky and crazy.  I don’t eat gluten, I don’t eat raw or refined sugar, I don’t eat dairy.  I used to quit booze, but I had quit booze in March in preparation for Boston Marathon, and haven’t had a drink since, so I don’t have to quit booze anymore.  I eat leaner protein and I eat much more vegetables.  Without ice cream or cookies, my diet becomes boring. 

Crazy Pants 2:  Piling.  I need to have my specific gear out and ready, so this is the time I start pulling out different gear.  I pick out my compression socks, shorts, T-shirt, panty, everything I would wear on race day and then make another pile of back up stuff for different weather conditions.  Hats, gloves, arm warmers, singlet, long sleeve shirt and pack them in neat piles as well.  Between now and travel day, I will go through at least 2 or 3 combination changes, and pile them and re-pile them in different areas of my home. 

The piling doesn’t end at clothing.  It will continue with number of gels, Imodiums, electrolyte powder, shoes, shoe strings, belts, registration forms, hotel confirmation forms, etc.  Piles will appear all over our house, and will slowly migrate from one corner to the other…

Crazy Pants 3:  “Don’t Try Anything New” – Extreme Version.  I stop crossing the street at red light and will frequently stop at even a blinking red light.  I stop running to catch subways and elevators.  I just stop taking physical risks all together.  Remember the “don’t try anything new” mantra?  I take it a step further.  “don’t take any risks”. 

Crazy Pants 4:  Image Training.  Somewhere during my self-taught marathon training programs, I read in some article that imagining the race course, conditions, people, crowds, etc., will help with your pacing.  Of course, this being Crazy Pants season, I take this to the far extreme.  Co-workers will notice all sorts of non-work related spreadsheets popping up on my dual monitor work station.  Strange colorful elevation maps, Google Earth Maps, marathon course maps and other fun stuff will take space all over the place.  With my my custom made pace planner Excel opened, I try to re-vision my course, my effort level, and past experiences.  I then mark where I would be taking fluids, where I would be popping EFS, and where I plan to kick butt.  I will tweak and re-tweak the pace planner until right before I leave work on my “last day” before marathon.

Crazy Pants 5:  Counting My Lasts.  Now that word “last day” has come up, this is also the time where I start counting my “lasts” before the marathon.  Last long run.  Last speed work.  Last tempo.  Last Marathon Pace mid-distance.  The list goes on.  There will be a series of my lasts, up to my last poop before the race.  Counting my lasts makes me feel like a caged animal, ready to take charge of the race once the gun goes off…which is not a good thing, necessarily, as that results in too fast half and too slow half!

Crazy Pants 6:  Extreme Superstition.  Walk across the street when you see a dude on a ladder.  Don’t open an umbrella indoors.  Donate. Donate. Donate.  Make a sign of the cross when walking across a church (I’m not Catholic, but whateves).  Don’t eat tempura with ice water, Unagi with umeboshi…avoid all Kui-Awase.  …anything that’s ever a saying or a fable, I believe…only during this time tho!

hmmm...I wonder why no one ever wants to go with me to Toronto Waterfront Marathon!

Hey Kids. It's Crunch Time.

As the fall marathon season begins, us Agony Runners all have our training plans to execute.  Some of us may have a personal coach, some of us may be taking tips from other runners, and some of us may be doing a training off a book or a website.  Either way, the training regimen becomes increasingly rigid, more strenuous and definitely longer than ever.

What I have noticed this season is that, I’ve been less generous with my time.  Before, if someone wanted me to do a race with them or do a random length run (short or long), I was like “sure, why not?”.  This season, I’m much less generous…or rather, selfish about my workouts.  OK, a better word would be more disciplined than ever before.

As an older runner, I have a very limited window where I can run at the level I am running now.  In about 2 years, I’ll start to decline.  My PRs will be far and few.  My time will fall.  I will get slower and slower.  Hey, it’s just the way it is.  I think this is why I’m more serious than ever before to get the good times while I can.  I need to work harder than ever before because I need to PR one last time.   A friend of mine once said, “you have to be a little bit selfish to achieve your goals”.  I fully understand now. 

I know it’s not very “team like” for me to not run a Team Points race or not spend time with my team mates.  I’m really sorry.  I just can’t afford it right now.  My “A” race is just 5 weeks away, and the summer heat and humidity has done nothing to build confidence.  I need the time to train harder.  But I promise.  Come December, I will be more team-like! 

Oh, and BY THE WAY…NYRR is reconsidering the Baggage Check Shi!t Show.  We may not be able to wear the fashionable Ponchos afterall!  Too bad, because I was actually warming up to the Little "Stinky" Orange Riding Hood look.  I thought it'll look awesome if I pinned my bib # on the hood part post race.  

 

Random Acts of Running 7

Whoa what a week last week was!  2 big controversies that got me so worked up, I sped up on my mile 18 and 19 “recovery/cool down” part of the long run!!

+Sarcasm On+

Controversy 1:  ING NYC Marathon ditches the bag check. 

I think just about everyone in the world has now heard about this hot mess.  You can read about everyone’s concerns and points here. 

But since it’s not looking like NYRR is going to change their minds about this, we need to embrace the change!  Here are some GREAT tips on how to deal with this bait and switcharoo.

1)      Keys & Metrocard & Credit Card.  We all hate belts.  We hate fanny packs even more.  They are restricting, they hamper our breathing, and it's unfashionable.  We, the snobby elite team runners, don't do belts.  Period.  Belts are for 6+hour joggers!!  So how are we to carry all this stuff?  Easy.  GUM TAPE.  Tape your Metrocard, Credit Card and Keys to your singlet, preferably, behind your bib so you'll still look sleek and speedy!

2)      Phone. Are you kidding me?  We already spent $200 on this race.  What’s another $30 on a no-contract phone from the Best Buy conveniently located at 66th and B’way?

3)      Clothes.  Well…you will have to endure the temporary humiliation of walking around in stinky clothes covered by a disposable poncho, but as long as you stay in the Central Park vicinity pre-dusk, you won’t be mistaken for a homeless person.  So get in your stinky poncho and hull your bum over to Columbus Circle’s Time Warner Center.  It has everything you need!  From Benetton to Hugo Boss to Sephora to Running Store.  Can’t afford designer?  There’s Fashionista Maxxinista TJ Maxx on 57th and 8th Ave.  You can even window shop on your last mile to the finish line!  Again, what’s another couple hundred dollars?

4)      Food.  Sure, you burned 3000 calories running the marathon, but ate 5 packs of Gu and washed it down with a 100 calorie Gatorade per Gu.  You probably had few Gatorades independent of your Gu too.  How about breakfast?  Did you have that giant bagel pre-race?  This makes your caloric intake at about 1800, which makes the total calorie spending a mere 1200.  You didn’t even lose a full pound running the marathon.  So do you really need that 500 calorie snack?  Food is overrated anyways.  But if you must eat, there’s a Francois Payard Bakery on 57th and B’way.  Let them eat cake.

Controversy 2:  Lance Armstrong is stripped of his titles and banned from cycling and triathlons because he took man-made substances to enhance his performance, and trafficked the said substances to his team mates. 

…OMG...this is really disturbing.  You see, I pushed EFS Liquid Gels and Pre-Race to Mr. Tom.  I hooked Xena and Jenny from the Block on to 100mg Caffeine Clif Gel Shots.  None of these substances are naturally occurring and it certainly isn’t anything my body naturally produces.  It’s synthetic, artificial substances created solely to boost one’s performance.  I have promoted the use of performance enhancers and am a heavy user of said substances myself.  I better watch out or I’m going to get kicked out of USATF/NYRR!!

The strange thing is, even with performance enhancers, I haven’t been able to run a sub-3 marathon.  I tried cycling, but I haven’t been able to qualify for the Tour either…  I think there’s something called natural athletic abilities and some horrific amount of training required in the first place.

Random Acts of Running 6

Sunday was my first 20M long run this “season”, and it went relatively well.  Slower start with a stronger, faster finish.  But enough about myself.  Let’s talk about what we saw on the road in Central Park this Sunday!

Mr. Tom Has A Favorite Shirt:  For a while, every time Mr. Tom ran, his go-to shirt was his Philadelphia Half Marathon shirt.  You know the one!  It’s dark navy with the stars and stripes.  If you saw that shirt, it was Mr. Tom.  Then when summer rolled around his favorite shirt turned into the Brooklyn Half Marathon T-shirt.  He’s worn it to class, speedwork, to long runs.  If we didn’t have a AODF uniform for him, I’m sure he’d wear to all his races too!  Thank goodness he seems to have a good, functioning laundry washer.  He never stinks.

But Other People Did:  Now running in a pack of 15-20 people on a long run in the summer is awful.  You can’t breathe.  The temperature around you is at least 5 degrees higher in the pack.  But you say to yourself, “I better get used to pack running because in a marathon, I’m going to be in one giant pack!”…but girl…the smell, the smell!!!  Anyone that has ran the NYC Marathon will tell you that one purveying scent throughout the race is the funk of 50,000 human bodies.  While this past Sunday’s temperature was a much more tolerable low 70s, it was still plenty warm enough and we were graced with “that guy”. You know, that one dude that forgot to wear deodorant in the morning.  (It wasn’t Mr. Tom)  If you were wondering why I broke ahead of the crowd…well, I needed air and wanted to get away from Sir Funky.

NYC Marathon & the Funk:  OK, so now we’re talking NYC Marathon, my biggest pet peeve last year was the lack of deodorant wearing people.  I aint saying where they came from, but let’s say they put the le pew in Pepe le Pew!  But not all were human made…or at least I hoped so.  At one point in Brooklyn and another along First Avenue beyond 100th Street, I had encountered a poo-like smell.  I was horrified thinking one of the Pepe le Pews had leakage!!  It wasn’t until the following week, while running in Central Park that I realized that the poo-like smell wasn’t from Pepe, but was from a Ginko Tree.  So folks, if you encounter poo smell during your fall marathons, check to see if there is a Ginko Tree nearby.  If NOT, then it’s definitely poo – so watch your step!

Enough with the stinky.  Let’s talk fashion:  Seen on the long run course this Sunday was a leopard print skort with leopard print headband.  Carefully matched with neon pink Zensha leg warmers and top.  I’m going to leave it at that.

Headphones:  I’m not like some old fashioned coach so I’m not condemning these.  I do believe music brings your spirits up and it might be helpful for your cadence.  Hey, if “Eye of the Tiger” is going to help you push through mile 18, be my guest.  BUT.  BUT.  BUT.  Don’t sing off key out loud.  Don’t get so into your music that you become oblivious to your surroundings.  Because dude, I will shoulder check you down.  I watch enough NHL - I know how to do it.

Finally, seen at 102^nd Transverse was Coach Alem:  He false started my pace group and got in trouble with the NY Flyer lady who was non-too pleased.  “WHY ARE YOU SENDING THEM OUT?!”  awwww It’s OK.  My pace group broke apart for the last loop and everybody did 30 seconds faster than they were supposed to anyways. 

Fun Weekend!

Random Acts Of Running 5

Hot Weather & Giving It Your All:  Hot weather running has got us all bogged down, even the best of the best at the Men’s Olympic Marathon were taken out by high humidity and higher than expected temperatures.  I mean…at 11AM start for a full marathon in the middle of August is insane unless they’re talking Southern Hemisphere!  My Canadian hero struggled and just by reading his blog post, I know exactly how that “I better take fluids, but if I do I’d throw up” feeling feels like…it’s awful.  But he still clocked a respectable time and he’s still my hero!

We only have about 3 weeks or so of hot weather running left here in NYC, which is certainly a welcome thing.  Again, this is my go-to resource for hot weather running speed adjustment.  I’m looking for days where I can run according to my true fitness level and not getting handicapped by humidity and heat.  For now, every outdoor training is a experience in pushing my heart rate to the max!  Hopefully this will give me some endurance and speed come fall.

Hey Hey, we’re USA Track & Field listed!  We are now USATF registered team!  How cool is that?  That means we can now officially register as a team if we want to do a USATF relay race or a team race.  Also, it protects the team with a General Liability Insurance.  This was very important to us, so that we can continue provide you with safe, effective coaching and group runs/activities. 

NYRR Supported Long Run #2 is upon us.  Sunday, August 19 will be the second NYRR supported long run.  This is always tricky business because it’s great if you have an incredible and considerate pacer (Pacer Adam and Pacer Dave from NY Flyers are AWESOME), but it’s a bust if you get stuck with someone who just goes to their own fitness level.  I had one going 20-30 seconds faster than the prescribed pace one time and I just felt so slow and inept.  Total morale crusher.  I’m hoping I’ll get a good pacer this Sunday. The weather is supposed to be pretty decent, with lower temperatures and lower humidity!

Finally, let’s post more in our Forum!  What fall races are you doing?  Marathons?  Marathon strategies?  I know there is more that we can share.  It’s always more fun to interact with our fellow team mates and not all of us always see each other, so let’s start communicating more.  I’m going to start by posting my fall race schedule!

Random Acts of Running 4: Running Anniversary

This is a bit of a personal post, but I think you will find this pretty interesting...

My Outlook Calendar says on July 26, 2009, I had an appointment with Xena at 7AM in Central Park, 90^th Street Park Entrance.  This will be the first time I will be running outside for more than 1.7 miles. 

At this point, I had sort of revamped my life, I had been running on a treadmill and had taken up indoor cycling.  On the treadmill, I could run 4 miles at 9 minute pace.  Yet outdoors, it was another story.  I had never left the comforts of the Lower Loop, and doing anything with “real runners” scared the crap out of me.  People that looked like me (ie:  Cotton Ts) were in the Lower Loop.  People in fancy running clothes took "the right turn" and disappeared into real runner world part of the Park.

So when Xena had graciously invited me to run with her friends, I declined, saying, “I’ll do what I can do, and if I see you, great.”  I just didn’t see myself running with her fast, "runner" friends, who all seem to be part of some running team/club.  Besides, getting up at 6AM to go up to the Park for a 7AM meeting sounded awful.  I don't even get up that early on a weekday!

But eventually I got up and decided to give this "real running" a shot.  Back then, I didn’t have any running rituals or nutty habits that I have now, so naturally, by the time I got in to the Park and up the familiar Lower Loop, I had to POOP.  BIG TROUBLE.  I don’t know where the washrooms are!  I dash for the structure with the stage thinking perhaps there are facilities there.  But to my horror, there aren't any.  I see some Park attendants and beg them in near tears to let me use the washroom in their office.  They first say no, and that I have to go down and use the Boat House.  I nearly start crying, I say, "I don't know where this 'Boat House' is...."  and I offer $20.  They reluctantly let me use the facility, and declined my $20.  My 36 year old dignity saved - sort of.

Anyways.  Feeling better, I follow the runner traffic up this giant hill.  Is this the Cat Hill Xena told me about?  I can’t make it all the way up, so I walked it up.  I keep on going and a few minutes later, I see a pink sports bra.  OMG!! XENA!!!!!  I stop.  There are bunch of male runners with her.  This must be Xena’s harem.  One of them makes my inner sirens go off.  I’m introduced to all of them, but I only retain one name.  Chris.  LOL.  Chris says my shoes are crap.  For real Queen?  I just spent $120 on these shiny NIKE SHOX.  He tells me to go to Jack Rabbit.  I’m slightly insulted, but I nod and smile. 

The "real runners" are going to be doing a "loop", and they really want me to come with them.  I told them I can't run more than 4 miles, so they say they will run with me until the "4 Mile turn".  I'm scared, but I tag along.  I already pooped, so I should be OK.  They promise to go slow.  Xena says we’re doing 9:45, almost 10 minute pace.  That I can handle...but by the time we exit Lower Loop on the West Drive, I can’t go anymore.  I have a bitchin’ stitch because I just can’t keep up with them going up some of the biggest hills I have ever seen in my life.  Chris says I should do some funky moves to get rid of the stitch, but I really just can’t move.  I barely manage the first hill and as I see another giant hill approaching, I tell them to leave me to die.  I just couldn’t keep up and I didn’t want to hold them back.

As they leave me, I’m a little bit relieved. 

When they left me, they told me to make a right where “everybody else is turning” or else I would be doing much more than the 4 miles I could do.  So I keep on following “everybody else”.  To my horror, I am climbing some near vertical hill that goes on and on!  After a brief downhill, another one that goes on and on!!  I have no idea where I am, so I have no choice but to keep on walking/moving.  I don’t know if turning back would be better or keep on going.  I just know that this is way more than the 4 miles I thought I was running.  I want to quit, but I don't know where to exit. 

I recall a Park exit where I had met up with Xena, so I decide to keep on going. Eventually I get my stitch to go away and I’m back on the flats.  It seemed like HOURS, but I see Xena and her harem again!  I share my horror story about the hills, but they seem unimpressed.  Guess it’s like a bunny hill to them!  HMPH. 

Anyways, they are doing more loops of something called Bridle, and I told them I’m super done.  I sluggishly run/walk/crawl back to my entry point (57^th/7^th).  Xena said I must have ran like 7 miles total that day.  (But I really didn't "run" it all, you know. )

1 month later, I went to Jack Rabbit.  I bought new shoes and saw a flyer for a beginner’s running class “open house”.   I was intrigued, so I went to the open house.  Oh, and this is where I first encoutered Cesar.  I ended up signing up for a beginner’s running class!  My husband thought I was losing my mind, paying some one to teach me "how to run".  

I met my first coach, Jené through this running class.   I officially met my first and favorite running partner, Cesar.  The class was hard, but a lot of fun.  By November of that year, I had recorded a 8:00/mile 4M race.  That was our "graduation" race.  I still remember Coach Jené saying “GO MIKI!!!” as I turned the corner on 72^nd Street transverse, headed towards the finish.  In fact, I hear her voice every time I turn that corner in a race.  Coach Jené made me the runner I am today, but the funny thing is, I owe it to Capt. Chris for making fun of my Nike shoes, I guess. 

3 years later, this weekend, I will be running a 17 mile long run.  And I will remember to poop before I leave the house.  (it's a PTSD thing)

Random Acts Of Running 3

This weekend was a scorcher, with temperatures reaching near 100F!!  But many of us brave Agonites ran in this heat, because you know, we love the pain! 

Which reminds of me of a song that frequently runs through my head when I'm running in heat:

Strangelove,
Will you give it to me
Will you take the pain
I will give to you
Again and again  

Running is a f-ing STRANGELOVE indeed!

Queens 10K

Last week (July 1) quite a few of us braved the heat and did the Queens 10K.  I forgot to mention some of the people who ran the race in my last post.  Jen, Gio and Mark also ran the race, in addition to Lisa, Xena and me.  Xena managed to come in 4^th in her under 18 age group again, even though she had done like 20 miles before the race, and she did the race as a “fun run”.  Had she not ran the miles prior to the race, I think she could’ve won this thing! 

Jen pointed out that I didn’t mention that they were running in my last blog.  I’m so sorry girl!!  So in my humblest apologies, I offer my topless photo.  O-M-G! It’s not THAT kind of topless!  Get your mind out of the gutter!  It’s completely SFW – and it’ll give you a chuckle.

Van Cortlandt Park Invasion

We started early (like 6:45AM) but we arrived in style in our luxury chariot driven by Prince Gio who came to pick us up in the City.  It was wonderful.  Smooth ride up to the park, place to store our stuff, and he even had a cooler filled with ice cold sports drinks for post run cool down!! 

The weather was a lot cooler than expected, probably in the low 80s for most of the run.  And guys, Xena lied!  The flat part was mostly shaded with raspberry bushes.  It was cool, green, and gorgeous.  At one point we even had sprinklers from the nearby golf course giving us a spritz!

The hills were a bit awkward as it was a cross country track with weird wooden step-like structures.  But I guess it’s there so that you don’t fall straight down the hill?  The hills are naturally in the mountain, so that was shady as well.  Overall, it was a nice run.

Xena is organizing another run on August 11.  Not sure if we’ll have a chariot, but it’s definitely worth going out there.  People are so nice!  They say “Good morning” to you as you pass them!  Even the cyclists are nice and they say “Thank you” when you let them go ahead of you! 

Central Park Conservancy Run (4M)

This team points race is this weekend (Saturday).  The weather is supposed to be much better than the past couple of weekends, so it should be a good run!  If you haven’t already declared your participation, please let Mr. Tom know.  I think we now have enough men and women to count as a team.  Yay! 

Now this being a weekend some of you may be incorporating it into a long run...at least I am.  Here's a look at my workout for Saturday. 

Total:  16 Mile Long Run

Warm Up:  5Ms easy.

Key Run #1 - Race:  All Out Effort – 4Ms

Post Race Active Recovery:  2M easy – 9:00 miles or higher.

Key Run #2 - Marathon Pace:  3Ms

Cool Down:  2Ms

Team Brunch

Due to lack of interest, we won’t be having a Team Brunch post Conservancy Run.  We should have one soon, though. 

Random Acts of Running 2

I’m away on Monday (July 2)!

Hey guys it’s HOT out there.  Be careful when you are running, even if you consider yourself a “hot weather runner” like Xena.

Hot Weather Adjustments:

When running or racing in hot weather, your body needs to work double to cool your core temperature AND keep up with the running part.  Here’s a fancy pants calculation on how to adjust your pace for hot weather.  

Case in Point.  These two Garmin readings are my personal data from Coach Terry’s famous 20 minute West Drive Out-n-Back Negative Split.  The workout is simple out and back on the West Drive.  The objective is to run out at a “10K Effort” and come back at a pace at about “5K Effort”.  So you go out for 20 minutes, but come back at maybe a minute or so faster, something like 19 minutes give or take a few seconds.  Here’s data from perfectly fine January evening.  And here’s a data from perfectly awful humid morning (today).    
Note the pace, distance, and HR difference between the two.  The summer time run includes a 0.2mile cool down in the end, so take that in to mind when comparing.  Now, the winter class was with a group.  I always seem to go faster and harder when there's someone to chase after.  But again, if you look at the HR, I was working pretty hard as "solo" this morning.  Interesting, isn't it?

Now if you are crazy enough to go nuts-fast in this heat, don’t forget sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and dress appropriately.  I don’t care if you are training for a world record.  Long sleeve cotton shirts and sweat pants are not a good idea, unless you are under legal drinking age, and have a name like Meraf.

Survey Results!

Thanks for all those who participated in our Team Survey.  We had 14 respondents.

Here are the results!

92.9% of you didn’t care for Equinox Membership.  2 people had membership through their employers, while 7 of you declared it was too expensive.  3 people said that they didn’t live near an Equinox, so found the membership useless.

For Team Activities, 64.3% (9) wanted to do something close to NYC, while 35.7% (5) declared anywhere in the US would be great.  As for type of activities, we had a big spread.  Top choice was a Team Relay (38.5%, 5), followed closely by Boston Marathon Course Training Run (30.8%, 4).  15.4% (2) each for a non-running event and a winter vacation that may include a race.

Most of you didn’t care Saturday or Sunday for Long Runs (57.1%, 8) with 2 people preferring Saturdays and 1 person preferring Sundays.  But 3 of you declared that you were lone wolf type and preferred to run solo, in quiet mind trips of their own.

Membership Dues was a mixed bag, probably because we didn’t clarify what we’d use this money for.  I think Captain Chris’ primary goal is to generate money for team promotion (like banners at races!), registration with USA Track & Field, and have some cash for activities.  35.7% (5) of you wanted to know what the money was for, 28.6% (4) super rich folks declared unconditional love and threw in $100.  2 people each for $10 and $25 category, and 1 person said $50.  Oh, and I forgot to create a special $10,000 category for the Maharaja.  oops. (sad face)

Some comments included getting free team uniforms, cheaper training, and refreshments in exchange of membership dues. 

We’ll take these responses to heart and come up with some awesome activities soon!!

Lisa, Xena & I would be running Queens 10K this weekend.  Captain Chris will be in Queens as well, but with his other lovechild.  (or I think this is...apologies if I'm wrong!)

Everybody have a safe weekend!