by Monica on February 25, 2010
It’s been over a year since I last raced and I decided it was time. Jamie and I and a few other LDFs signed up for the all women MORE/Fitness Magazine Half Marathon in Central Park on April 25th. This girl-power infused race around Central Park is a great energy boost. And although this is not the ideal course (as Liz Robbins noted in her “a bold pace questionnaire”), it is a gratifying loop around a fabulous park. Running with all women always proves to deliver a different experience than the co-ed versions. All are so polite, positive and actually throw their cups in the provided trash receptacles instead of at your feet (nothing like a little Gatorade bath during a race). Weaving through the abundance of walkers can be a challenge for runners, but the cheers and support from fellow participants can counter the annoyance. I don’t think this is PR territory, but a fun girls-day-out in New York and an open door back to race mode.
So with race mode as the goal, it’s time to do some research and planning. I hardly ever buy a book anymore. We have a well-endowed town library that is always on the cutting edge of newly released titles. Every couple of weeks I scan my favorite sources ( Book Beast, NPR Books, EW Book Reviews, NY Times, a list of highly regarded recommendations from Jamie) and fill my online library queue with a fine selection of books. They are, however, not as interested in running as I am so I am sometimes forced to resort to Amazon. I’ve had my eye on three books that I thought would fuel my training and they had all of them at a more than agreeable price. I received them yesterday and spent my night reading.
Running Anatomy by Joe Puleo and Dr. Patrick Milroy was a recommendation from LDF and running guru Dora. She is a PT and I can see how she would love the clear textbook style of this book. The detailed illustrations showing targeted muscles in motion shed light on how our bodies work when running. Insight into how specific strength training exercises can effect running will be very helpful.
Racing Weight–How to get Lean For Peak 
Performance by Matt Fitzgerald is one I read about on a blog. This is a 5-step plan for endurance athletes to improve performance by reaching optimal weight. Not a new topic, but one that plagues me when racing. So far there is nothing ground breaking here. Rules like: eat early and often, stick to whole grains, and no refined sugar can be found but the sections on timing of meals and sport specific diet concerns make it interesting. Of course I had to skip to the chapter that chronicles some of the exact training meals of such endurance athletes as Ryan Hall…no sign of donuts there!
And finally, I decided as a 47 year-old injury prone woman with menopause on the horizon, I need to run less. But I don’t want to stop racing! I thought Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster was a program I would like to try for my next marathon. Three key running workouts per week plus cross training may be the new balance I need to get me to the starting line of the Chicago Marathon, strong and injury free.
by Monica on February 21, 2010
This morning, on my first 13+ mile run in a very long time, I felt like I could have run forever! I promised myself I would stick to the plan (and I did), but I wanted to keep going…what is it about those days? It got me thinking…”What makes a good run?” Some days can be so hard. A myriad of variables can contribute to the overall design of a run, some weigh heavier than others. A solid 8 hours of sleep helped. A nutritious well-balanced dinner that included my favorite pre-run/race food of rice kicked in a pre-run bathroom visit. OK, too much information? Perhaps, but as Rachel Toor noted in her interview a pre-race poop can be sublime. I wore my new super-soft powder pink running top (what is it about certain gear that makes us happy?). A crisp 34 degrees and sunny day contributed to the euphoria, a warm and welcoming shot of vitamin D. I was happy to be in the company of good- humored and great story- telling LDFs. I have learned over the years of running that there are some combinations of running friends that can make the miles melt. I find that personality, temperament, confidence or a wicked sense of humor can change the dynamic and mood. Some days can be like a fabulous cocktail party and others more like a PTA meeting. And then there is pace (which incidentally is never even mentioned on a day like today). We start slow and gradually work into a faster pace near the end. The negative split mentality is implied and somehow works to create a satisfying finish. We feel strong. And finally, no foot pain. When you have a nagging injury, the mere absence of of its pain can spark energy. We all need runs like these to get us through the more mundane or painful ones. I sometimes equate training runs to a “crap shoot”…a game of chance we are trying to control as much as possible. The outcome can sometimes depend on what is going on in our lives before we hit the road, but when the elements align, it restores my love of running. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we met next to a Starbucks today and the icing on the cake was the double tall soy latte to sip on the ride home:)
p.s. I tried the Tide Sport laundry detergent and thought it was great. For $10.99 at Target , I was able to make my running clothes and my husband and son’s tennis clothes smell- free. It is strong, but not overwhelming (a hint of “Fabreze” mixed with Irish Spring Fresh). I also picked up a bottle of the new Fabreze Sport odor eliminator for the shoe closet…so much better in there now!
by Monica on February 13, 2010
Before you run the New York Marathon, read Liz Robbin’s A Race Like No Other– 26.2 Miles through the streets of New York. Actually, I think the book should be tucked into every swag bag with the t-shirt and race number. Runners could fight pre-race jitters in bed the night before engrossed in these captivating stories. Moreover, they could throw it in with their water and power bars the next morning and pass the dreaded hours of waiting time at the start with Paula Radcliff and Hendrick Ramaala. Runners would appreciate the many volunteers they were about to pass in a whole new light (who may actually hand them their water). They would become familiar with the sacrifices of the bold-hearted elite racers like those they will follow through the streets of NY. And how could they not be motivated by reading about the many individuals who overcame heart-wrenching adversity to make it to the starting line? I would have loved that before I ran in 2008. This book had me at mile one.
We, at a bold pace, have devoured Liz Robbins’ astute and edifying articles about running and other sports in the New York Times and Well Blog. In fact, Liz’s article The Best Marathon Advice You’ll Ever Get (a favorite) will be sent to new marathoner friends in perpetuity. Are you sensing how delighted we are that Liz Robbins’ has agreed to answer our a bold pace questionnaire?
10 Questions for Liz Robbins:
1. Running skirt: friend or foe?
Foe. When I run, I want to wear shorts. When I play tennis, I wear skirts. When I played lacrosse and field hockey, I wore tartan plaid polyester skirts. Enough said.
2. What is your idea of the perfect run (when, where)?
When I covered the N.B.A. for the New York Times, I had my favorite runs on the road.
Venice Beach (not all the way to Santa Monica Pier) – a nice 5-miler watching the ocean
Dallas – Katy Trail (I always seemed to do that run when it was 92 degrees)
Miami – South Beach boardwalk/trail
But, my favorite quick run is in my backyard. A few blocks to Central Park, one loop on the upper bridle path, one loop on the reservoir.
3. What do you most value in a running friend (or do you prefer music/sweet solitude)?
Encouragement. I run faster with a friend.
4. What is your present state of running mind? How are those knees…will you ever run the NY Marathon?
My present state of running mind is…incredibly frustrated. I haven’t had a run longer than 30 minutes for months, and I’m spending most of my time on the elliptical right now. My doctor wants me to have arthroscopic surgery. My doctor thinks it’s essential because cartilage is roaming free in my right knee. I knew the pain and the clicking noises were not good signs. Any advice?
5. Who is your favorite runner to watch (or to cover) and why?
Hendrick Ramaala.
Because he is so genuine and so wise. When I did research for my book, I stayed with him and his family for five days in Johannesburg, and they couldn’t have been more hospitable. Hendrick, the 2004 NYC champion, has time for everyone, young runners, recreational runners, he loves to impart his wisdom. Plus, at age 38, he goes for broke and always thinks he can win. He is an inspiration!
A close second would be Paula Radcliffe. Even though it’s very difficult to watch her as she bobs her head and always looks in pain (since she is), a race is never boring when she is entered.
6. We think runners are tough (especially women runners!). How do they compare to the basketball players or tennis players you have written about?
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by Jamie on February 10, 2010
Saturday, 2/6: We are in the midst of an old time, batten down the hatches, Mid-Atlantic blizzard. And a luxury it is; Rosa, our 13 year old, is held hostage (by the blizzard) at home all day and night. We bake Jacques Torres’ sublime chocolate chip cookies, the secret being a small smattering of sea salt placed on the top of each cookie before baking. We watch 3 episodes of the new “it” television series, Life Unexpected (not quite reaching the heights of The Gilmore Girls-but what show does?) We read: I finish up the luminous Let the Great World Spin (a must read!), while Rosa peruses 17 Magazine and Teen Vogue. For dinner, Mark Bittman’s macaroni and cheese. The day, in a word, fabulous.
Sunday, 2/7: Life begins to return to the humdrum. Swim practice at 4. Tax return documents are gathered. After all those carbs yesterday—-a short run in my new Yaktrax.
I don’t think the orthopedist envisioned this day, when he declared that I could run once I gained elbow mobility. But, we runners are curious people. The Yaktrax Pro’s, steel-coil traction gear, were a cinch to place over my running shoes. And…. they worked! My footing was secure on the snow, slush and ice. I felt confident and balanced. They didn’t slip off my shoes. The quiet solitude of the bright and pearly run was interrupted only when I run over patches of bare road, where the Yaks made a distinctive crunching sound. Snow shovelers gave me “are you crazy?” smiles. I wanted to lift up my shoes to display the Yaks, but that would be tempting the gods, wouldn’t it?
Some scattered winter running observations: Clothingwise, I’ve been wearing one thin and one thick(er) technical shirt, and a windbreaker, as opposed to a running coat. I’ve felt notably warmer and drier. LDF maven, Kerry, purchased a gorgeous runner’s windbreaker (with a LED light on the sleeve) weeks before a NY Times article touted the very jacket!
Locking in and paying for a half (or full) marathon seems to be the only way for me to get out there and put in the long miles.
I marvel at my LDF’s , who instinctively recognize when the winter elements are just too daunting and declare it time to call it a (running) day and when to encourage us that today is the day to push on. Understanding how serene, and yet energized, we will feel when it’s all over.
Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies
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