yay running again

After more than a year, I am back to running races. So far I have ran the Run for Parks and Run as One 4 milers. In a week I will run a 10k...a bit nervous about that one.

So what happened to the half-marathon I was training for back in September? After running 10 miles, forgetting to drink water or eat I somehow thought it was a perfectly fine idea to have blood tests done. I passed out, but was ok. The nurses told me to drink water and rest. So that was a hard lesson for me to learn about not rushing my training. Although distance running is 90% mental, the other 10% of fitness is still very important.

Great Gallop Half-Marathon

The Half-Marathon is on Oct 1. I haven't signed up yet...but I plan to.

Since my last race in December I've gotten fatter and weaker, but I've been working out. Last Sunday I decided to train for the Gallop if I could at least run 6 miles. Which I did, barely. So now Ive put myself on an exercise schedule. Hopefully in 2 and a half weeks I can run this race. I wont PR like I did last year, but my aim is to finish.

Wow 6 months...

It's been quite awhile since I've ran any races. That's going change soon. Although I missed the cap on the next Saturday's Pride Run, I think I might run it anyway. We will see.

I've gained 10 lbs since December and my new shoes are very tight. I've soaked them hoping to help break them in. I don't know it that's a normal thing, but last year I ran through a storm in new shoes and they felt great afterward.

See Christi Jog

NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K December 5, 2010. Time: 1:08:13
Last year, NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K December 6, 2009. Time: 1:08:09.

If I had known that 5 seconds separated me from a Personal Record I would have hustled through the side stitch and sick stomach.

I didn't expect much after battling shin splints for 6 weeks. If it wasn't already paid for I wouldn't have gone. So I made the race about getting out there and running again... and to prove that my shin splints were not a stress fracture. Surprisingly, my leg felt great from the start. And because I assumed I'd end up walking at some point, I didn't hold back on the first mile which included the Great Hill. The hardest part of Central Park. After that, I would very well PR if could keep a steady pace. Mile 2 good, mile 3 better. Then at mile four I threw up a little in my mouth. Yes. It was awful. It tasted like wine or apple.

The night before I went to Cynthea's Hanukkah party. Normally I don't drink before a race, but since I wasn't planning on trying I had a beer, two glasses of wine and a hard apple cider. This was over the course of 6 hours and with food. Lots of food. Laktas, cheeses, squash kugel, cookies, hummus, hmmm.

Anyway, at that point I felt like the time Rebecca and I ate Taco Bell then tried to run a mile around the middle school track. Rebecca threw up her chalupa. I really didn't want to throw up my bagel or what ever else might follow. Plus, according to my watch, if I ran mile 5 in under 10 minutes I would beat 1:05 which I thought was my best 10k time. The determine look you might see in my photo is me determined not to puke.

On the last quarter of mile 5 I caught a side stitch probably from holding my breathe. My watch said 1:06. Well, its still going to be a good time I thought. And tried to coast in at a non-vomiting pace. It was only after I looked at my time on the nyrr website that I found my 10k PR has never been 1:05, but maybe its good I aim for it. I don't know. There's always next time.

Narcissism :)

Have I ever denied it? These are a few of my favorite pics from the NYC Marathon.