New York City Marathon - Week 9

"Ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes..."
~David Bowie

Week 9, you were a blur.  But I strapped in, held on tight, and enjoyed the ride.  From a training logistics standpoint, I was supposed to have a cut back week.  But my training plan has gone rogue as I deal with this little hip issue, and since I felt great after my 17 miler last weekend, I really wanted to keep the momentum going and increase the mileage again this week.  This change was Coach Bob and PT Lauren approved and it was full steam ahead.

MONDAY

6 easy miles + PT exercises + dry needling
My hip has been feeling really good lately.  Not 100% and not ready to kill any kind of speedwork, but ready to push the pace a little quicker than I have been in the past couple of weeks.  To be honest, these slow paced runs have been getting to be a bit of a drag and I ran 2 of these 6 miles a little faster just to break up the monotony.  I'm sticking to the 3/10 rule for discomfort, and thankfully the hip has been staying below that 3.  I loved breathing a little harder on this run, but I did not love how dark it still was when I finished.  

After getting the kids off to school and a quick shower for me, I did a big thing:

I started my new job at J&A Racing!!!  Crazy pants.  I'll be taking the helm of their retail operation next spring, so right now I'm learning how to do my future job.  I wasn't looking for work - in fact, I was wondering how I could clear my plate a little and really focus on training for New York - but this opportunity was too good and too compatible with my primary role of wife and mom to pass up.  I still can't believe I get to do this.

After work, it was home to get the kids off the bus and back out to PT for some more dry needling.  The girls got to watch this time...that was interesting.

TUESDAY

MY Ride w/Mike

I sat in the back row this time...I normally like the front row because a) the air flow seems better and b) I don't have to look at anyone's ass in front of me for 45 minutes.  But it was kind of nice to just do my thing without feeling like anyone was watching me.

When I got home, Kristy alerted us all to an email we received about our fundraising status:

Um, yeah...this is out of all teams raising money for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to run the NYC Marathon.  We're in 3rd place, with 4th place right on our heels and 2nd place totally within reach.  It was just the push we needed to dust off our fundraising hats and get back to working for donations.  

WEDNESDAY

5 miles with 3 at marathon pace + PT exercises + dry needling

This workout lit the fire again for me.  It was hot and the humidity came back with a vengeance, as evidenced by my nest of a ponytail I finished the run with.

But I was able to push myself for 3 miles at a pace I haven't seen since I started PT, and the hip felt good doing it.  This run truly set me up to kick ass all day long.  

I'll spare you the play by play of how this day went down, but let's just say I killed it.  And I slept really well that night.  

THURSDAY

6 easy miles

This run was nothing to write home about, but I'm proud of it because I didn't look at my watch once.  These miles were totally by feel, and once I finished and looked at my splits, I was pleasantly surprised by the perfect progression of negative splits that happened naturally.  I knew I needed to save everything I had for Friday's long run, and I was able to do just that.  I didn't get a photo during or right after the run, so here's a shot from where I parked for work on Thursday.

FRIDAY

18 miles with Kerry

  Ooooooh this run.  In an ideal world, I would've started this beast long before the sun came up and finished just as it started to get hot.  But that just wasn't my reality on Friday, so I had to start this run at 8:30 and endure the heat and humidity Mother Nature thought would be cute.  

Kerry and I met at the aquarium and got along on our merry way.  She immediately scolded me for not carrying water with me.  The thing is, I bought myself a FlipBelt at the start of the summer and hate it.  It doesn't let my shorts move the way they need to and I end up with hellatious chafing in so many god forsaken places.  I'll give the FlipBelt a second chance when the weather cools down enough for capris and tights, but it ain't happening with shorts again.  

I did have a hydration plan though, so don't think I'm a total bonehead...we were running along the oceanfront and into First Landing State Park, where there are ample opportunities to stop at a water fountain, which we did. The shade of the park was so refreshing, but once we emerged and hit the blazing sun again, we were both feeling less than amazing.  But oh, thank heaven for 7-11!!!

A gatorade and a cup of ice later, we were off to finish the rest of that run.  We stopped a bunch of times along the way...sometimes for water, sometimes for shade, sometimes because it was just so f-ing hot.  But we finished that run strong and could only tell ourselves race day should be cooler.  Hopefully much, MUCH cooler.

After I finished, I walked around in the shade for a while before feeling the need to kick my shoes off and get off my feet.  What better place than the aquarium parking lot to sit and enjoy a water bottle full of Tailwind (part of my amazing hydration plan was having a full bottle in the car for when I finished and needed replenishment).  I got up and went home before anyone had the chance to offer medical assistance.

After Week 8's 17 miler, I rode my beach cruiser around Norfolk, which I think helped contribute to my quick recovery.  I employed the same strategy after Friday's 18 miler by riding my bike up to Green Flash for hydration, calorie replacement, and leg elevation.

I also returned later than evening for another dose of hydration with Sara, who beasted out a 22 miler in that heat.  At this rate, we're going to need to modify our Cancer Better Run gear to read "Cancer Better Run - sponsored by Green Flash."

SATURDAY

Rest

I actually did rest a lot this time.  I planned to have my ass parked in a beach chair and toes in the sand most of the day, but through no fault of our own, only the former part of that plan came to fruition.  I sat in my beach chair in my driveway and got some work done while watching the Blue Angels air show and my kids played with their neighborhood friends.  We also got to go for a little joyride in my neighbor's antique (yet still younger than I am - don't get me started) Mercedes convertible.  I think we turned a head or two going through the Wendy's drive thru for some Frosty's.  

SUNDAY

4 easy miles with a few passes over the Rudee Bridge

The thought of running another out-and-back down Nimmo Parkway bored me to tears, so I hopped in the car and had some bridges for breakfast.  It was another hot, sticky morning, but the breeze we're already getting from Hurricane No-Way Jose made it bearable, as did one of my favorite views of the water.

After this run, I had to scoot over to a far-too-lengthy training session to coach Girls on the Run at my girls' school, but I checked my weekly mileage after dinner and realized I was at 39.3.  Unacceptable.  So with a belly full of tacos and a Blue Moon Belgian Wheat Ale, I headed out to get that number to 40.  My first 40 mile week of this training cycle, and it just so happened to be my first week of work in almost 11 years.  From this day forward, I'll be trying my best to listen to the words of encouragement I give my girls...you can do hard things.  I can do this.  I am surrounded by the best people who push me, pull me, listen to me, guide me, run with me, and raise a glass with me.  Week 9 was a big one.  And I can do big things.