Pain Is A Gift: 2019 TCS NYC Marathon Race Recap

This race recap took me longer to write than any other I’ve done. It was a really hard training cycle and I even put off writing about training because I guess I don’t love writing about things that are bad? I should probably not be like that and also talk to my therapist and also get a therapist.

Anyway, I’m doing it now.

2019 NYC Marathon Training: Week 16-17 of 17

Here we go. Last two weeks of “training.” I do not under any circumstances recommend doing any of the last few weeks of my “training.” Do not do this and think you are trained to run a marathon. You are not. I was battling plantar fasciitis for the last six weeks and did what I could. At the start of week 16, I honestly wasn’t even sure I was going to run the marathon.

(Spoiler: I did.)

2019 NYC Marathon Training: Weeks 13-15 of 17

I have been dragging my heels getting the last of these training posts up! Wait, is this why my heels have been sore? I’ll knock out these last training posts so I can finally get to my marathon recap, which is already long overdue. I swear it will be done by Christmas. No, Christmas Eve.

Once again, for the sake of being a completist, I will write out my workouts and link to anything I can. This schedule is not what I would recommend at all for marathon training, but it was all I could do given the situation. I really, really wanted to run this marathon.

Grimace and Bear It: 2019 Great Cow Harbor 10K Race Recap

Hooo boy it’s been twelve years since I ran this race I’m about to recap! Wait, no… hold on… it’s been eight weeks. That’s it? It feels like twelve years. Weird.

I’ve apologized for being behind on this blog. I hope everyone knows how sorry I am by now. The funny thing is, once I start writing I LOVE it and I’m like, why did I not want to write? I love to write! What’s my problem? Still trying to figure that one out but I’ll be sure to update everyone once I do!

Anyway, let’s get to this favorite race of mine: The Great Cow Harbor 10 Kilometer Run in my lovely childhood hometown of Northport, Long Island.

2019 NYC Marathon Training: Weeks 10-12 of 17

Updating this blog really shot all the way down on my list of priorities these past couple of months. I didn’t intend it to. I started feeling discouraged with my training and usually felt like I had more important things to worry about than writing. Also, maybe not writing was a way to avoid having to face my discouragments. This was probably the opposite of how I should have (and how I wish I had) handled it, which would have been to embrace the situation and face my fears head on.

As a young Canadian named Alanis once said, you live, you learn.

Just Beat It: 2019 5th Avenue Mile Race Recap

The 2019 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile happened so long ago, but that is my theme this fall: Better late than never. It’s a solid theme and I’ve been very consistent with it.

I ran this race last year so when it came time to sign up for 2019 NYRR races, I figured I’d run it again. Not that I trained for it; I’d spent the summer marathon training, not mile training. The only recent fast mile I’d run was another mile race: June’s Northport Downhill Mile, where I ran a PR of 6:35. Although that race had no starting mat and a wonky start, so I don’t know if I should even count that as an official time.

I know 6:35 is pure easy jogging pace for some folk, but please know that I am a middle-aged lady who moves her legs for fun, and that’s probably as good as it’s going to get for me these days. As someone who ran 5Ks in her 20s at a 9:30 pace, I’m not apologizing.

2019 NYC Marathon Training: Week 9 of 17

Week 9! I’m cranking all of these out way too late, but better late than never? I guess?

I have been following the 17-week marathon training plan of my awesome running club the New York Harriers, but I’m choosing my mileage based on how I feel, as well as my own strength training. Beginning in week 11, much of the plan will be thrown out the window. I’m really behind with updating this blog.

Week 9 was one of my last good weeks. It culminated with the 5th Avenue Mile on Sunday where I ran a course PR. I’ll write that short race recap next.