The final countdown

Week 13 was the last hard week, including 10M during the week, 10M at 7.27 pace on the Saturday and my 2nd 20M run on the Sunday. The weather was perfect for this, I ran it in 2 hours 50 mins and finished with the last 5M at 7.46 pace.

After that 12M the following Sunday feels nice and easy. We really got perfect running weather the last few weeks before the race. Kind of warm for October but 15-17 degrees was great, I could sleep in a little longer at the weekend, not having to beat the sun!

Then the final tapering. My legs felt sluggish and heavy but doing just 3M runs was great.

Week 13: 56
Week 14: 39
Week 15: 26

Week 12 - Bronx 10M

I had sore shins after my trail half marathon but other than general tiredness I was pretty pleased with how I felt. I took Monday off, had a couple of steady runs during the week then had a good 800m on/off session on the Westside on Friday before a nice dinner with Heather's Hawaiian neighbours who were visiting for the week on a holiday tour.
Saturday was DIY day (with some help from other friends) and I decided to rest from running that day so I could be ready for the following week as it is the last hard week of the plan.
Sunday was the Bronx 10M!

I kinda wished I hadn't entered so I could concentrate on sticking to the training plan but as the Bronx was a borough I'd never run on the roads in, I first decided to run, then I decided to try my damn hardest to resist racing and just run it at the pace I have been doing the marathon pace sessions at, around 7.45-ish.

Again, it was funny when I switched trains in midtown Manhattan around 7am to see the train completely fill up with runners. I didn't bother with a bag as it was around 18 degrees at 6am so just went ready to "race". When I got there, I tried to do a light jog of around 1.5M's to warm up and also so I could add that to my total for the day as it was supposed to be a 12M run that day.

Despite trying and feeling that I was going slow and comfortable from the gun, I was too fast for the first couple of miles (naturally). But I manged to slow to down and averaged about 7.40 pace for the rest of the run! I even managed to hold myself back from picking the pace up for the last mile which was probably the hardest as what roadside support there was were shouting at all the runners to go for it in the last mile.

It was quite weird to do a race and not give 100%. My brain seemed to have too much information and thoughts as I had more time to take in what was going on around me, ha ha. It got more enjoyable as the race went on though and I finished and felt great. Grabbed a bagel a drink and a banana and I was off home on the train.

As a side note, around mile 6 I caught up with and finished the race alongside Mary Wittenberg who is the CEO of NYRR. I had seen her shed her tee and jump into the race after giving her pre-race speech so recognised her from behind when I caught up. She was getting a few shouts of support along the course including a "good job Mary" from some officers inside a parked NYPD car.

So it's going well. I'm not really putting in a high high mileage but keeping regular runs during the week, one longer run then making sure I get the Saturday longer run or pace run in followed up the next day by the long slow run.
This week is the last hard week ending with a 10M pace run followed by my last 20M run. I feel I need to do that now as it feels like a few weeks since I last ran a long run.

Incidentally my new post-run food are now ricotta/lemon pancakes with some scoops of protein powder and sliced bananas along with toppings!

Week 12: 31M

Paine to Paine

Last year one of the races that we ventured out of town to do was a trail half marathon up in New Rochelle, about 45mins north of the city. Well, 45mins going there at 7am and about 2 hours coming home in the afternoon!

It wasn't a race I really enjoyed last time as it was constantly undulating without being hilly and I ended up running most of it all on my own AND the weather was humid so it fogged my glasses in among the trees.

But another REI store was one of the sponsors so I enquired and received a free entry so I had to go! It was going to be good training for the marathon anyway and with all that running I thought I could go quicker. Last year I was 5th in the 40-49 age group so maybe there was a slim chance I could get into the top 3.

It is a really nice location and the finishing area with the cheerleaders and running track and all the free food and a hot shower afterwards also make it a good event.

Unfortunately after a couple of weeks of cooler weather (20-25 degrees but with fresh air rather than humidity) we woke up to find the forecast was correct and it was humid.

The updates from the race organiser were pretty humorous. For example:

4.   Number transfers are not permitted. Veteran P2Pers will remember that if you transfer a number, a kitten will die. And it will be your fault.

I also just read this on his post-race report:
"Was this year’s edition of Paine to Pain hard with the 200% humidity? Well I didn’t run it this year, I watched you. But 2x Badwater champ Pam Reed came up to me after the race. “That was hard.”
It made me smile. We didn’t call this the Buttercup Classic, after all."

Badwater is a 130+mile Ultra marathon through Death Valley.
Hey, at least it wasn't sunny!! I would've really struggled with that. And of course the weather has gone straight back down to regular Autumn weather for the rest of this week.

The start is uphill on the road for 1/4 mile lined by the school cheerleaders and then it's into the woods, up and down, 750ft of ascent and 750ft of descent, no major hills just constantly rolling terrain which is probably worse. There are only 3 mile markers, all of which say "-ish" after the number but having done it last year I at least had that finish time to go on.

I started quite strong, then had a mid race slowdown where I got fed up running with 4 or 5 guys in a small group so eased off a little. Then after running on my own for a couple of miles and taking my gel and water at the 8M mark I picked the pace up and slowly reeled in all but one of them. The marathon training really gives you a strong finish even if its just a little bit of a mental boost.

I love the finish where you pop out of the woods, down the road between the cheerleaders and onto the running track for a 300m lap to the finish. I finished in just over 1hour 32mins (7.03 pace), knocking 2mins off last years time in the near identical conditions.

As I came down the home straight the race commentator said my name and informed me I was in 10th place! I was 20th last year so that was a big whoop when I heard that.

Heather didn't really enjoy the race, if you hadn't run it before the course and weather conditions made it tough, much as I found it last year.

I waited for the prize giving as there were prizes for first 3 in each age group and I was 5th last year. There was one guy in the 40-49 that finished 3rd overall and then when they read out the 20-29 age group I was ticking them off when all 3 were faster than me. Then I was really pleased when he read the 3rd place and 2nd place and then I was 1st!!

Big glass tankard

Afterwards we took our hire car to the same supermarket in the suburbs as last year and got a big pastrami sandwich for lunch, some ice cream and then looked at the animals they had outside, ha ha.

The only downside was that weekend was supposed to be my second 20M training run but the half was a good test of where I'm at. This week is a recovery week then I'll try a 20M the following week.

Week 11: 44M

Training Weeks 9 & 10

My week 9 plan looked like it would be pretty tough when I glanced at it out of the corner of my eye a few weeks ago. The 20M Sunday run looked so much further than 19M for some reason! It must be because so many times you read how hitting 20M in training is the benchmark for marathon training.

I've pretty much managed to stick to the plan throughout the weeks so I'm now going into these runs actually looking forward to them! As long as you have the time to do them AND the time to spend the rest of the day recovering then I've really been enjoying the challenge of running further than I've ever ran before, visiting areas I've never been and I guess also trying out the different nutrition aspects.

The harder runs to do have been either the midweek longer run such as the 10M run before work on the Tuesday and the longer faster (supposed) marathon pace runs.

I managed an easy 10M on the Saturday in cloudy humid weather. Then thankfully after the late Saturday rain Sunday was a really nice 24 degrees and had relatively cool air for a change, so I felt really good!

I had varied my route ever so slightly from the other long runs I've done in order to do the shadeless part first and also to avoid the century event bike riders that were out and about on the shore pathway.

Of course I went slightly the wrong way a couple of times so I knew I would be hitting the 20M mark before I got all the way home.
It was the first time I have tried mixing the energy gels with water in the little flask. It seemed to work good except I only did one so I think I need both flasks for that kind of distance.  I averaged about 8.30 pace although I stopped frequently for water top-ups and toilet stops. I had planned to speed up for the last 5M depending on how I felt and I averaged 7.40 for them, finishing with a 7.22 mile which was pleasing.

What wasn't so good was reaching 20.M and being at the bottom of the park with a 1.5M uphill walk to home. I was mentally finished by then as I'd obviously set out with 20M in mind so I bought a drink and strolled home.

During this week I heard something hit the window and fall onto the air conditioning unit. I looked out and there was this massive cicada just sitting there. Never really seen them before, you just hear them in the trees on a hot summer night.

Week 10 was a recovery week and next week I am doing a half marathon trail race, the same one I did last year (and didn't enjoy that much). So although the time won't mean much at least I can compare times and how I'm feeling. I just have to work out how to adjust my plan as that was supposed to be my next 20M weekend.

On 9/11 we stuck our heads out our window to see the light display they had again. Like the bat symbol!

This week also seemed to really signal the change from Summer to Autumn. You know it's cooler when I started the run in the sun instead of the shade and I've put on socks in the house for the first time since April I think. It should help the running though, it might be easier to do some of the after work running.

Week 9: 56M
Week 10: 38M

Training Weeks 7 & 8

Week 7 started off fine enough with an early morning 9M run to work but the next day I had the beginnings of a sore throat! Oh no, I thought, the usual 2-3 week mildly annoying cold/flu starting again.
I quickly bought some throat medicine (didn't really read it... helps you sleep... sore throat, yup) but I think it had something that made you tired as I took the next three days of running and left work 3 hours early on Friday as I literally had no energy.
A two hour sleep when I got home and I felt better for Sat and managed just over 10M, I worked Sunday so no running.

Week 8 was a step up. Including 9M on Monday then on Wednesday it was the last of the PPTC 5K's. These have been the only "speedwork" sessions I've been doing the last few weeks and I've been steady around the 18.50 mark. This time I decided to go off hard from the start and see if my training strength could help me hold on. I managed splits of 6.03, 6.03, 5.40 and .33 for a new 3 second PB of 18.19!

Friday Heather and I went to see a Jeff Koons flower "sculpture" at Rockefeller Plaza then went out for dinner on the way home. Chicken Ramen and birthday cake flavoured soft serve ice cream.

Then the hardest weekend of training so far. 9M at around 7.21 pace and then on Sunday I did around 18M in 2 hours 52mins which due to the fact there was a thunderstorm due later meant as well as it being really sunny, it was also more humid than it's been lately.
The decision to run last weeks long run route in reverse proved a wrong one as there was no shade for pretty much the last 10 miles.
I stopped at a water fountain with around 4 miles to go and the water was so cold I just wanted to stay and drink forever!

The last few miles were a slog, my legs were actually not bad it was just the fact I was a little dehydrated and wanted a cold glass of water as well as a short lie down followed by a cold shower.
I tried taking some energy drink with me along with one of those Honey Stinger waffles and the usual gel and water but I don't think I got the timings right as my stomach was a little sore/tight for the last half of the run.

18M couldn't feel so different to the 17M run I did two weeks previous. Plenty still to try and fine tune before I try for my first 20M next Sunday.

Week 7: 24M
Week 8: 51M

Training Weeks 5 & 6

Another busy week of planning runs around work, either leaving kit and food at work so I can run early or running after work, taking the train back into Brooklyn then getting off on the other side of the park to run home.

I worked Saturday. It was also one of the Summer Streets Saturdays. Where they close one long road in Manhattan form the Brooklyn Bridge up to Central Park from 7am-1pm.
I left the house at 7.30am and ran down and over the Brooklyn Bridge. Wow, lots of groups of inconsiderate runners. The pedestrian path is really narrow and all these runners were coming the other way and filling the entire path 2 or 3 abreast. I literally shoulder barged two runners at one point. Never again will I run that bridge at the weekend.
I ran part of the Summer Streets, I thought that would be the worst part in terms of crowds but apart from a few tourists strolling along the road while the pavement was empty at 8.30am it was fine. I only went a little way past work before turning back.

Sunday I ran my longest run ever (again), 16M, 2 hours 20mins around Brooklyn.

The penultimate PPTC 5K was this week. A good 18:47 feeling very strong towards the end.

Then I planned out this Sunday's 17M run over a mostly entirely new run route complete with a little sellotape laminated piece of paper with my directions on it!
It was good, running longer but in a new place so I had things to take my mind off it plus a lot was the Shore Pathway so although a little boring it was pan flat with no traffic lights and little pedestrian traffic.

My loop around Coney Island and the Sheepshead Bay area was fun.

13M selfie

15M selfie

Week 3: 47 Miles
Week 4: 45 Miles

Training Week 3 & 4

Just about managing to keep up with my training schedule. Work ocasionally gets in the way, ha ha.
I had to work a footwear shift on Sunday last week and I stupidly ran 14M miles on the way to work then worked 8 hours on my feet. I'd gotten there early enough to stretch and eat and the first couple of hours were fine but after that I was in a daze, the last couple of hours my feet and quads were aching.

The weather almost forces you out earlier as it's generally been 10 degrees hotter later in the day. Back home, I was lucky if I was out of bed by 8.30am now I'm managing short runs on the way to work and even ran 7M one day finishing just after 7am, oh how times have changed!

Ran an 18.50 in last weeks PPTC 5K and felt strong all the way if not fast. I am also enjoying the long runs at the weekend, the pace is a lot slower than I'm used to and I've been running in new areas too.

Week 3: 43 Miles - included my 14M run in 2 hours which is probably the longest run I've ever done.
Hopefully I'll be saying that every couple of weeks from now on though!
Week 4: 31 Miles