Starting September Off Right

By | September 8, 2019

Marathon training and the marathon is starting to feel real. Not frightening or anything, just real. I think the absolutely gorgeous fall weather contributed. As I mentioned, I’m really enjoying marathon training, but shared a few of the downsides over coffee.

Just a quick recap as this was a busy week.

Weekly run down with Kim and Deborah:

  • Sunday:  yep, I actually did something worth writing about on a Sunday. A friend texted me Sunday morning to see if I wanted to run, but she was already on her  way to the park and I hadn’t gotten up yet, so I didn’t join her. After lazing around much of the day I was feeling itchy for a run and wanted to get the gym visit cycle off to a good start so I ran to the gym. After making use of their amazing foam roller on my super knotted calf, I realized I still wanted to run. I’m not sure if it was the stretch and roll or I just warmed up after two miles, but I ran home too. It was a beautiful Sunday and I didn’t want to waste the weather. Also, Sunday afternoons are about to get more full with football around the corner. Yep, one of my favorite parts of fall. Running on Sunday totally threw off my routine for the rest of the week.

Gel, hydration shares

Evicted (books, not the sneaker that photo bombed the bags)

shelf collage! You can see the other running bin on the right.

  • Monday: sort of missed, but not really. I took advantage of a rainy day and Marie Kondo’ed my bookshelves. I do not have space to add another and my running gear has taken over 1.3 of one, so I made the gels share with a handful of my hard copy running reads. I love my Kindle, but some really need to be read in print. And no, that landline doesn’t work – I just can’t get behind the entertainment center to disconnect it. Project for another weekend.
  • Tuesday: back to reality after a 4 day weekend. Somehow I escaped to squeeze in a short run between calls. Strava just made me laugh.  GPS clearly wanted an adventure of its own as I promise I did not hover over to the far side of Roosevelt Island. I knew something was off when mile 5 came in at 8+ but was super confused by hitting six while still on the promenade. This run is always six even when it also has a blip, there’s no way it was 6.3. GPS, you funny. Run felt good.
  • Wednesday: Rogue group training. The prescribed workout:
The workout:  2 Mile Progressive Repeats: Marathoners will do 2 sets x 2 mile repeats with 2 minutes rest between each.  Do the first one at HMGP, (half marathon goal pace),  and then the second one between 10K and HMGP. The goal is to get faster on the second set, exactly how much faster doesn’t matter so much. Run easy warm up & cool down according to required daily total mileage.
Why?Progression runs teach runners pacing control and to run fast on tired legs. Developing this skill will help prepare runners for better race day performances. Of course as a bonus, we are also doing work at or near tempo effort (especially early), which is also one of the sweet spots of aerobic development.
  • Reality?  The first time in a while I ran the day before our group workout. That and a dose of 80, humidity made for subpar speed work, but it was a fun effort. We got out a little later than normal and it was a long-ish workout so by the final stretch I couldn’t read my watch to judge my pace. I love the decision to get transition lenses – but they’re really not good for reading. No, it cannot be at all possible that I need bifocals. Nope nope nope 🙂

running friends chasing sunsets

and what a sunset it was

  • Thursday: I’d call this running friends not running, except Darlene ran to meet us. Pier I is one of Elizabeth’s and my favorite restaurants, and it’s not just for the food. The sky wasn’t great when we met, but it exploded with color as Dorian’s fringe clouds came in. A beautiful off day, finally got some walks in too.

Dinner!

  • Friday: cold and rainy! Weather has been so weird. I had an after work event in Chelsea (great exhibit) and as has become a bad habit, I got home too late to get avocado toast. I was desperate to fix my fueling issues from the last long run so I spent too much on an avocado to make my favorite dish: ranch dressing and an avocado. Paired that with a handful of Reese’s Pieces for some hard core adulting. Maybe I’ll even buy a toaster, although I have neither room nor outlet for it.

A wonderful beacon

  • Saturday: 18! I was glad when the coaches sent out the route on Friday night. It’s flat until you hit the Park and so so scenic. Depending on the shoreline angle, you can see the lighthouse coming and the bridge is visible from the start so it’s a good/bad thing depending on how the miles are going. Yesterday I didn’t mind one bit. I fell behind quickly, which I expected, and listened to Running Rogue’s Missing Goals Part 2. I was surprised when I got to the lighthouse that I wasn’t too far behind the pack or the secondary pack. I ended up running the final eleven with-ish the secondary pack of 5, which was a pleasant surprise. Mo and I ran together and we called the water fountains the great equalizer as that was when we’d catch up with the others. I had excellent practice in holding my hands steady while running when I lost the cap of my disposable water bottle around mile nine. It worked-ish until I finally tossed it coming into Central Park around mile 13. I ended up close to the assigned route, we weren’t sure in CP whether we were supposed to go higher up or just loop the reservoir. BUt the mileage was right so I didn’t stress. We walked part of mile 13 as W. 72nd was crowded with shoppers and I didn’t feel like playing dodg’em. The cool temperatures helped but so did the avocado. I started the day with my now-standard frozen Science in Sport lemon at half strength — that bottle was cold until it thawed. I had two half started packages of Cliff Block margaritas, which I took every ~2.5 miles or so. When I refilled I had a lemon and then a berry SiS tablet. When I tossed the disposable bottle, I just went with plain water in my reusable as I don’t want it to keep that taste forever. I had honey stinger chews with me, but didn’t need to break into them. Overall, very pleased with this run. Perfect? No. But wow, 18!

Double trouble

Silliness Squared

  • Sunday: it’s rare that I spectate races. Usually if I’m not running, I’m not here. Despite being the closest start line to my front door, I’ve never run the Fifth Avenue Mile either. One of those things had to change this week, and I definitely wasn’t racing a mile after running eighteen. My friend Elizabeth and one of my coaches from Rogue were running and I decided to wake up at 6:30 to go spectate. Who am I?!? Also surprised, legs felt pretty good – I think the post-run errands and gym for foam roller/yoga were good choices. Spectators were relatively sparse so it felt good to cheer on random runners. After some further mischief, I went to the gym for some stretching, PT and strength training. Maybe could have cross trained, but that seemed to be pushing it.  Still a solid walk in, which felt good.

Week mileage: 32.89 EEEK

Total mileage: 240.24. That’s an easy peasy calculation – otherwise never use my calculator app and it retains prior week’s total.

Plan for the Week:

  • Monday: run
  • Tuesday: off/cross
  • Wednesday: Rogue or run to Memorial as I do for 9/11
  • Thursday: off/cross
  • Friday: off
  • Saturday/Sunday: TBD. I can either do Rogue’s 20, or I’m signed up for NYRR 18 Sunday. I’m a little concerned about timing of NYRR and getting to Giants game, so may run with the group instead on Saturday. I’ll likely decide this on Friday.

25 thoughts on “Starting September Off Right

  1. Wendy

    Look at you!!! You’re doing a great job with your training. I’m really excited for you to run NYCM!

    Bifocals? All I can say is when the near vision goes, it declines quickly. Ugh. Then it stops. I have multifocal contacts which are just great, since I have distance issues as well.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Thanks. Me too!

      I have readers that I sometimes wear for the computer, but never really needed them all the time. I had bifocals once but couldn’t adjust so they went back. I think that reality is coming closer, but not sure how running with bifocals would go. Darlene was saying, I think, she has one distance and one reading contact.

      Reply
  2. Kim at Running on the Fly

    18!!!! Very well done! It’s stressful deciding when to do those long runs (like you have coming up this next weekend). I waivered on my 15-miler this weekend. First it was gonna be Saturday, then it changed to Sunday, then Sunday’s weather looked cold and rainy–> so back to Saturday (and running it solo). Now, today’s weather has been cold, but dry LOL And, Barb is around, so she could have run with me…oh well 😉

    Reply
  3. Laurie

    Way to kill that long run! 18 is awesome!!! Marathon training still hasn’t hit home to me and my marathon is at the end of October. There is not much time left to build up my mileage, but I hope to do a 17-miler this week.

    I need to Marie Kondo my bookshelves too. They are in desperate need of some thinning out. Maybe I can doneat some for our local library book sale.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Next to Marie Kondo is my closet when I swap it to long sleeves – so much I didn’t wear
      Wish the local branches took donations, sadly they don’t. I always did that growing up
      good luck with your 17 – you’re running marine corps right?

      Reply
      1. Laurie

        I am running MCM. I am running with a 78-year old friend, though, so it may be more of a walk than a run.

        Reply
  4. Coco

    Yes, wow to running 18 miles and it going well! I can’t imagine. That sunset is amazing. It’s getting hard for me to get #runrise shots these days … maybe when I’m in Chicago this week.

    Reply
  5. Liz Dexter

    Look at YOU with all those miles! It does start to seem real at about 18 – and it’s funny when you’re training for your second one to KNOW you can do the longer miles as this time round you don’t really know. You’re doing brilliantly and I’m very proud of you.

    Reply
  6. Marcia

    Dare I say it? You’re having a sparkly unicorn cycle. To say you’re enjoying the training is HUGE and look at that mileage! Fantastic work my friend!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Sparkly unicorn cycle. I am so stealing that phrase. But I agree. We seriously lucked out with a mild summer and, hopefully, the achilles/PF issues earlier taught me the prehab to keep them at bay. I expect to pay for it this week with 20 especially if I do the NYRR route, but I was not particularly sore after 18.
      I think the biggest surprise has been Rogue – I’ve come out of my shell in a way I never expected.
      Thank you!

      Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I don’t mind if I get into the routine — but not when I’m in a Saturday routine. Could make it work in spring but long runs and football don’t mix well together

      Reply
    1. cari Post author

      getting there. I love the belt recommendation. It helps with stashing all the things

      Reply
  7. Lisa @ TechChick Adventures

    A running podcast about missing goals? I’ll have to go listen to that (insert a cringe face here)! I need to clean up my stash of running shoes. I find it so hard to throw them away when they have worn out soles but not worn out tops. And nope, I don’t need any more lawn mowing shoes 🙂

    Reply
  8. vitatrain4life

    Wow – what a week! That 18 miler seemed great – I wish someone could map out scenic runs for me 🙂 And I’m laughing about you “maybe buying a toaster.” That is too funny. And I hear you on spectating. I may have spectated two races in ALL my years of running. If I’m not in the race, I’m usually not out there, but I bet that mile race was pretty awesome!!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I love our coaches for many reasons — route planning is top three though. I love not needing to think on a Saturday morning. I had to DIY a route one week because I couldn’t make the group run and could not imagine doing that from July – October and keep it interesting.
      I had a toaster once for visiting friends. I donated it to the office when they left. I’m in a tiny NYC apartment. Still debating whether the toaster is worth the counter space.

      Reply
  9. Debbie @ Deb Runs

    You had a great week of running and look at you getting that 18-miler done. I hope your 18/20 (whichever you decide) goes well this weekend. And that sunset, wow!

    Avocado and ranch? I’ll have to give that a try sometime!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Will be doing 20 tomorrow. EEEK
      But also looking forward to doing it and (hopefully) knowing I can do it before doing it again in three weeks: down/18/20
      It’s such a good combo. Occasionally with chipotle salt or buffalo sauce, but not pre run

      Reply

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