10 Thoughts on Running and the #PopularBkHalf

By | May 23, 2018

Some thoughts as I digest Saturday’s race.

oh so soft!

  1. Gameface posted the photos and no luck 🙁 It was so hard to spot the photographers in the rain, they’re not as brightly colored as Fort Lauderdale. If I get time I’ll have a look through for my ridiculous hot pink jacket.
  2. The shirt above came today and I really wanted to wear it to the gym. So soft! But I get squicky about wearing new things before washing even though this arrived in a plastic bag and was likely never tried on by anyone. It’s really magically soft and I like it almost as much as I like the shirt from the Retro 5 Miler which I live in whenever possible.
  3. Yep, gym happened today. I am floored at how well & quickly I recovered from Saturday’s race especially with how awful my legs felt Saturday. On Sunday I cautiously tried the stairs and my knees weren’t bad-they’re better than they are after some Central Park runs. I spent a couple hours sitting, reading in the park and then walked to the gym for an hour-long date with their foam roller. Monday morning my only run option was before work as I had an evening event, but I opted for some sleep-something that has been lacking all month. Had tons of steps the last two days and decided I’d choose run vs. row depending on how legs felt when I got to the gym. They felt good so I did 2.31 miles (25 minutes) and a half hour foam roll.
  4. I love my gym. I definitely made the right choice when shopping in August, but I’m so tired of it. Between weather and Phoenix I’ve so rarely had the chance to run outside.I think that’s part of why I didn’t mind rain running Saturday-it was just so good to be outside. So excited for June’s slate of races in part because they’ll force me outside.
  5. Speaking of outside: might have a chance at a beachfront run on Monday and I cannot wait. Sun, sand, sea air.
  6. As much as I enjoyed Half training, it was nice to just do two+ miles today and not feel like I was messing up and should have been doing more. I plan to do 8-9 miles runs in July to be ready in case I find a fall Half that excites me, but don’t have a training plan in mind. Only fall races I have on the books are Race to Deliver (4M) and Ted Corbitt 15K. Need to sort out some travel before I can book any others.
  7. I’m going to use this time to try to figure out what worked and what I’d like to change ahead of a future Half. The main change I did Saturday vs. either prior Half or the Cherry Blossom 10 was that I went with music. Although I don’t think the lack of it hurt me at all in Florida despite wondering that, I wanted it midway through Cherry and couldn’t figure it out mid race, so put it on to start. It was good. I train all the time with music, so it didn’t make sense to run without especially since I knew there wouldn’t be a huge crowd of spectators due to weather. Aftershokz are great for being able to hear surroundings and music. I don’t remember what song I crossed the finish to (Ted Corbitt was Rachel Platten Fight Song), but enjoyed a random cross section from Mr Wendal to Rocky Horror’s Damnit Janet! to my usual cross section of pop and country to distract myself in some sections.
  8. Speaking of distracting, barely read on my flights two weeks ago as one was a redeye and the other left at 6:30 in the morning. Cannot wait to read some this weekend. I’ve been in a running reading rut of late, but found an unexpected runner in the author of From the Corner of the Oval (thanks, NetGalley), which I’m loving. Other books on tap this weekend: Go Ask Ali by Ali Wentworth, Dietland by Sarai Walker, finally finishing Deena Kastor’s Let Your Mind Run, Travel as a Political Act by Rick Steves, House of Rain by Craig Childs, and The Lost World of the Old Ones by David Roberts. Not all happening, but I love choices.
  9. I had my six month check up with my endocrinologist last week and she is so pleased with all my numbers and credits running. I’m also down about ten pounds in that period. Would more be better? Maybe? Slow and steady. I know the changes I should make on the food side.
  10. I cannot believe I’ve been running almost eighteen months. Still grateful I hopped on the treadmill that day and stuck with it, because it has been amazing. I’m not quite on pace for 700 miles, but I’m close.

Here’s to the next eighteen months

6 thoughts on “10 Thoughts on Running and the #PopularBkHalf

  1. Pingback: Race Recap: Popular Brooklyn Half – travellingcari.com

  2. Liz Dexter

    Point 6 chimes with me. Since I dropped my plan to do a marathon in August, it’s SO NICE just to do x miles a week, nice and steady, a few different sessions in there but no pushing the distances up up up or training for anything. Just running for the joy of it.

    That said, x has to = 20 in order for me to get my 1,000 mile year I really want to get …

    Great work and great self-reflection. Oh, I tried to get that Oval book but it’s not available on UK NetGalley.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Oh boo, it’s a great read. Definitely keep an eye out for it.
      I’m off pace on 700, but I think I’ll pick it up. Had some needed down time this week that I’m OK with even if I end up at 698

      Reply
  3. Coco

    That shirt looks great. I have no issues wearing brand new clothes but my husband washes everything first. I’ll have to check out those books. I’ve been relying too much on Amazon First and the selections have been pretty meh.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      oops, somehow you landed in my spam. Agree with you on Amazon First
      Wendy’s BookClub is great for recommendations as is Liz (link in her name in first comment above) and the Runners’ Bookshelf on FB

      Reply
  4. Pingback: #PopularBkHalf Recovery meets #ItalyRunNYC – travellingcari.com

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