The amazing running community

By | October 27, 2019

Yes. YES

All of you. Everyone I’ve met over the last nearly three years. Everyone I’ve run with since beginning training in June.

There isn’t much substance to this weekly run down as I was somewhat down with a cold throughout the week. But I’m not dwelling on that – I want to focus on Saturday’s route of the last ten miles of the marathon and the absolute running block party it was.

Three crazy Rogue runners. (c) KatyMariposa

When you need to hop on the counter to be heard

Saturday morning came bright and early. I won’t say dawned as it was absolutely pre-dawn when we gathered at the JackRabbit on the Upper East Side as one of the many groups tackling the last ten miles. I truly think every NYC based running group was out there this weekend or last. We at Rogue joined the larger JackRabbit team and general public with one of our coaches as a pacer.

We headed out of the store a few minutes after seven and over to 1st Avenue to start the run up to the Bronx. I’d never run the Willis Avenue Bridge before and was somewhat surprised at its incline. From there we wiggled around surface streets until a rest area (with Gu, Nuun and a puppy!) and then a longer rest area as the Madison Avenue Bridge was undergoing some work and not open at the moment.

a few more awake Rogue Runners

 

waiting for the Madison Avenue Bridge to reopen

You really can’t stress it and no one really was. It was a meet and greet on the go while keeping our watches out of power save mode.

When the bridge re-opened it was a right turn and then a relatively straight shot down Fifth Avenue with a slight wiggle around Marcus Garvey Park before heading into the Park at Engineers Gate. I was glad for that – not so much the final stretch as the water fountain. It was slightly warmer than I’d expected and I need more than a 20 oz without water stations. That also lead to the wonderful fashion statement of my long-sleeve shirt shoved in my belt. Nice to know that’s an option too.

I actually ran all of it with a Rogue runner who had to drop back in pace and it was nice to get to know her as we ran. We were also running at the same pace as a group of women wearing amazing & fun skirts. I know I’d met one of the women at the Mini or one of the other summer runs, and it was nice to see them again.

nearing the finish. (c) Katy

imagining people in the stands in a week! (c) Katy

I crossed the “finish” with two of those women and “apologized” for eavesdropping as the one who had run NYC before – I later learned three times – told her friend where the finish was, what the exits would look like. This was super helpful even as Rogue Wednesday workouts crossed the finish a few times.

The running community is such a help – it’s not a competition, everyone is really helping and coaching either other. It’s just fun and I cannot wait to run with 49,999 of my BFFs NEXT SUNDAY.

The choice of Cascade over Gym Girl for “only” ten was deliberate. If the weather is in the 50s, I might go Cascade over Lotta Breeze and I wanted one final test, although I’m pretty sure I wore it for the first twenty miler. A spurt of cleaning this morning found my disposable pants to go with the sweatshirt. Yay not scrambling later this week.

what about your friends!

twinning. Note my AWESOME sandals

is there a better post-run meal?

The other up side of “only” ten miles is you don’t feel trashed and can have some fun with friends. Leaf watching. Twinning. Brunching.

Friends absolutely make our lives better.

Weekly Run Down with Deborah and Marine Corps Marathoner! Kim :

  • Monday: squeezed in 3.5 miles after a long ass day at work. The run ended at a diner for matzoh ball soup for the second day in a row, which should have been a sign of what was to come, health wise. There’s just something in that chicken fat.
  • Tuesday: plan was to go to the gym to cross after work. I worked late and had a sore throat coming on by the time I left.
  • Wednesday: Rogue, Little Inferno. I felt  pretty awful by this time but decided to try it. The planned workout:
– 2 minutes at 10K pace followed by 1 minute easy
– 6 minutes at HMGP followed by 1 minute easy
– 10 minutes at MGP followed by 1 minute easy
– 6 minutes at HMGP followed by 1 minute easy
– 2 minutes at 10K followed
  • the reality? My watch worked. My lungs not so much. I hit the intervals, but my paces were all over. It was great to run through the finish line a couple of times.
  • Thursday: went home after half a day at work and worked from my couch to try and kick this.
  • Friday: made it through the day of work, but there was no activity beyond some yoga and PT.
  • Saturday: the running block party I detailed above.
  • Sunday: off completely. It’s pouring and I want to rest. Watching football, tracking my friends running Marine Corps.

Week/total mileage: 15.85 // 419.32

Plan for the week:

  • Monday: run
  • Tuesday: off, back to back meetings. Outside shot at morning run if I don’t run Monday
  • Wednesday: last Rogue group workout
  • Thursday: Expo. Gym cross maybe. Walk home maybe
  • Friday: dinner with the other Joyful Heart runners.
  • Saturday: a walk maybe?
  • Sunday: 26.2!!!!!!!!!

I’m excited. Nervous. Ready. Proud.

24 thoughts on “The amazing running community

  1. Chocolaterunsjudy

    “I’m excited. Nervous. Ready. Proud.” As well you should be! I’m excited for y’all. Hey, I don’t have to run 26.2, so I can e excited. 🙂

    Take all the rest you need. You’re ready. You’ve got this. And you’re going to have an amazing time.

    I must say I would definitely have some trouble not being able to use a hydration vest & I’d probably be wearing long haul. We’re all different. though!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Thank you!

      NYRR makes up something like 95% of the races I’ve run (only exceptions: Cherry Blossom, Fort Lauderdale twice, NYC Runs’ Frozen Penguin 3x) and they never allowed vests since I began running so I’ve never run with a vest. That made that a non factor for me.

      Shame you don’t wear a medium, you’d get my Long Haul. I tried it twice, it just doesn’t work for me. One woman I was running with was talking about how she can’t wear a belt due to shape. Bodies are weird.

      Reply
      1. Chocolaterunsjudy

        Nope, I need a S in long haul. But thanks. I have 2 so I’m good. Sad they won’t be making more.

        If I do the 15k not sure what I’ll use. Don’t really want a vest for that.

        Reply
        1. cari Post author

          a 15K is the only thing I have on my race calendar after Sunday. I love/hate it because it’s always frigid
          I’m glad cascade came back from the dead. I need to look at the never more list as I’m sure there are some I wear.

          Reply
  2. Birchwood Pie

    I feel like everyone is sick right now, better to get it out of the way now than race week. After a few years of racing, I’ve gotten to the point where I feel like I have a group of people that I see at every race. Or if someone’s a stranger within a minute of chatting we’ll come up with a race that we’ve both done, and I absolutely love it. Good luck next week for 26.2!!!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes. You know the faces or the outfits. I haven’t raced in NYC since the end of June and I’ve really come to miss these people I don’t actually know. It’s weird, but I know you know exactly what I mean. And yes, insta friends. Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Wendy

    All you have to do is cross that finish line and then you’ll be a marathoner! The best thing is that you will get so much encouragement and support as you run through the city. From a spectator point of view, I’d recommend wearing your name on your shirt so people can call you by name. Good luck Cari! I’m so excited for you!

    Reply
  4. Liz Dexter

    I love this and I am so blooming proud of you. Excellent training cycle and can’t wait to have that little dot to watch on my screen next Sunday. Wheeee!

    Reply
  5. Deborah Brooks

    That is so fun that so many runners came out together to run those 10 miles. It’s so uplifting when those runner things just happen. So excited for you next weekend cannot wait to read all about it. Have a blast out there!

    Reply
  6. Coco

    I love that you feel ready and proud! You’ve earned both! That group run sounds great except for the construction delays. Who would have thought that would happen on a run?! I had fun cheering at MCM today – lucky for me the rain stopped by the time I got there.

    Reply
  7. Marcia

    Well done on the “finishing” 10! I’m SO happy you are proud! You’ve worked hard and committed yourself for months and months. I know I say it every week, but I’m so dang excited for you! I wish I could be there cheering, alas I’ll be there in spirit for sure. OMG I well remember the Willis bridge. It is a stinker. Cheers to race week!

    Reply
  8. kookyrunner

    Sorry that you came down with a cold this week 🙁

    You are more than ready for NYCM. I have really loved following you training and can’t wait to cheer on you and all the other runners at mile 18!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      ooh didn’t realize you were going to be there as well as the expo. I will look for you. Runners’ left or right? If you’ve spectated there, weve definitely been in the same place before. That’s just past my apartment.
      I’m just glad the cold is mostly over vs. coming. Thank you!

      Reply
  9. Darlene

    Now I need bagels and lox!!

    I’m jealous of your NYC running community but I am lucky to have awesome running friends. They always worried about my weekend miles and did what they could do to run with me. That helped a lot.

    I feel the same as you. Excited and Nervous. Ready? Wish I had done more miles but it is what it is. Proud. Because I am finishing this damn race. And enjoying every step no matter how painful.

    See you soon.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      We can do bagels and lox on Monday. I will eat that at any and all times.
      I love your running friends and how they just adopted me for the Albany half. We’re all lucky to find such good people.
      And yup yup yup to your last. It’s going to be a wonderful day

      Reply
      1. Darlene

        I only get lox in NYC so that’s a great idea and there’s a diners near me. I may change my bus and take a later train. Don;’t want to rush. Need to get my medal engraved too. Going there at 7 am I think (by subway!)

        Reply
  10. Renée

    oh my gosh I am so, SO excited for you!!! what is it with getting a cold the week before the marathon! so many people have this!

    love the running community so much – we can come from all corners of the earth and all backgrounds but it binds us!!

    i’ll be downloading the NYC app and following. I’m going to a friend’s to watch it as her husband (my friend Vincent you may have read about in my blog) and another friend are going over on Thursday. She’s really nervous he’s “going so far away” for a marathon without her (but she can’t fly that long because anxiety AND fibromyalgia) so we said we’d have a watch party together.

    wishing you all the very best for a great race!!!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes – running collects some of the best people.
      A watch party is such a fun idea. Two years ago when Shalane won I was with family watching it on TV as I wasn’t in the city and we were insanely excited
      Thank you!

      Reply

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