Epicurious Runner

Eugene Half Marathon Goals

It’s crazy to me to think about where I was at this point last year. I was was struggling and failing at running a half under 1:58, my previous PR. I tried 3 times with no avail before I threw in the towel and started marathon training.

Having said that, I can’t believe how much progress I’ve made over the past year. Only 1 year and I feel like a completely different runner. For many years I was a 9 minute miler, low 9s were my speed and high 9s were my easy runs, so to see this much progress in only 1 year is amazing to me. Last year, I was excited when my races contained all miles that began with a 9 and not seeing a 10:xx in there. This year, all my splits begin with an 8 and I am moving out of the 9 minute miler category (except for the marathon distance).

I have always felt that 7:xx minute miles were insanely fast and that it would take me a lot longer to get there. I don’t have any splits from a long run that have read that, but it doesn’t seem so impossible anymore. All of my speedwork miles begin with 7s and those are the days where my confidence is through the roof! Maybe next year I will be moving into the 7 minute miler category.

At the Philly Half, where I exceeded all expectations and pulled a giant PR out of nowhere! This was a magical day for me and a race I will always look back on with a huge smile.

I don’t think sub 1:50 is an unreasonable goal for the Eugene Half. Sure, it’s a bit ambitious, but it’s certainly possible, considering my training and my recent races.

I have big goals for Eugene, but in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t my BIG ‘A’ RACE. It’s an important race that will help me physically and mentally, though, and will no doubt prepare me for my goal race that is the Vermont Marathon.

There won’t be any real taper for this race, in fact, I will be running 22 miles the weekend before, but it will be a semi-easy week leading up to the weekend.

There’s obviously a chance I won’t make my goal, but I’ve always promised to myself to be extremely honest on this blog and to talk about my successes, as well as my failures. And since I have been thinking about this sub 1:50, there’s no reason not to share it with you all. It’s a big goal for sure, but it’s something I really want and I’m going to try as hard as I can to achieve it.

A goal: Sub 1:50 (< 8:23 avg. pace)

B goal: Sub 1:52:41, which is my PR (< 8:35 avg. pace)

C goal: Sub 1:55 (< 8:46 avg. pace)

Runcations Countdown

Last night I did an awesome speed workout. It was tough just like last week, but the reality set in that I CAN run 7:xx minute miles! Having a 7 in front of a mile always scared me, like A LOT, it seemed so impossible, and it seemed like something that would take a lot more time to achieve, but low and behold I’ve done 2 sets of mile repeats with that #7 right in front.

I know people usually do 3-4 mile repeats, or even more, but my coach has me starting out slow on these, since they are so fast and I’ve only been doing 2. Next week’s workout looks insane and from here on out they just keep getting harder, so it’s time to see what I’ve got. This is the training session that’s really going to push me to my limits and I couldn’t be more excited to see and feel the results.

1o weeks to go!

If you don’t follow me on Twitter or aren’t friends with me on Facebook, then I’m sure you don’t know because I haven’t talked about it yet, but I am running the Eugene Half Marathon!!! I know, it feels like everyone and their mom is running it, but I am so excited! It seems a lot more real since I booked my flight today. It happened a bit randomly, but the price was right, so I bit the bullet. I’m mostly excited to be reunited with some Nuun friends and to meet a whole new set of running friends, it’s going to be a party out there.  I will be shooting for my sub 1:50 here, go fast take chances!

This is one of several runcations that I have planned for the year. It seems so close, yet so far. Coming up before that is the NYC Half, which I will be racing for sure, but I’m not sure what my goals are yet, I will decipher them once the time comes. The NYC half was my very first half marathon and where I scored my first sub 2, it was a fantastic race and I’m excited to finally run it again.

4 weeks to go!

And in between these 2 races, is the Cherry Blossom 10 miler down in DC. I’m not sure what to expect from this race, but I’ve heard nothing but good things. It will be a short weekend trip and I’m really looking forward to meeting some Oiselle birdies!

7 weeks to go!

March and April are going to be busy months! I feel like they are already here, which also makes me feel like the Vermont marathon is here! It’s going to happen so quickly :0

Also, this.  Even though some of those things don’t pertain to me, I LOVE THAT POST, it makes me so freaking excited!! Pumped that Emily announced that she is going for her sub 3 marathon at Vermont! I want to be there to witness celebrate her victory!

Vermont will be the ultimate runcation where I score a major PR, and spend 4 glorious days in Vermont drinking beer with Lauren, Emily, and my husband!

14 weeks till Vermont!

24 days till we turn the clocks ahead and it’s light out after work again!#lifechanging

ps. Happy Valentine’s Day! Go eat a lot of chocolate and make sure it’s dark with sea salt (only the best).

The NYC Marathon Is Canceled: Now What?

So, as the whole world knows by now, the New York City Marathon has been canceled. It’s kind of a big deal! In all of it’s history, this race has never once been canceled. I’m frustrated with how it all went down. If it was going to be canceled, it should’ve been done 3 days ago. To cancel it just 36 hours before it began is frustrating. It wasn’t even canceled for the right reasons, it was canceled because of all the negativity surrounding it.

Part of me is relieved that I don’t have to run because of how different it would’ve been, because of how guilty I would’ve felt. No matter how I hard I would’ve tried to stay excited and pumped up, I know there would’ve been that nagging feeling in the back of my mind. I wish they would’ve canceled 3 days ago.

Too bad I bought a $130 jacket for a race I will never run. I mean, I will run it next year for sure, but the jacket has the date on it. I am happy to know that all of the proceeds from the merchandise at the expo will be donated to the relief fund, so I’m glad my money is going somewhere beneficial. I will think of the jacket as a symbol of my hard training.

I bought the teal one pictured below:

I actually love it a lot! I’m not sure if I would even return it if I could. I don’t have any kind of waterproof/running jacket, so it was definitely a good investment.

I am surprisingly okay with the marathon being canceled. I did shed a few tears, but I’m shocked at how well I seem to be over it. Maybe the several beers I drank last night had a little do with it!

I am definitely really sad that I won’t be running it! I’ve pictured race day over and over again and it’s kind of surreal that I won’t be waking up tomorrow morning and heading to Staten Island. I would be a ball of nerves right now if it was still happening, but instead it’s a regular night in our household, minus the fact that my husband is cooking dinner instead of me

It’s been quite the freaking week! I’ve been out of work all week, I’m not running the NYC marathon, and now I have 5 more weeks of marathon training.

5 more weeks?!

Yep! I’ve decided to run the Rehoboth Beach Marathon in Delaware on December 8th. You didn’t think I was going to let all that training go to waste, did you? There were a few options to choose from, but I didn’t want to just run a race to run a race. I wanted to find a race I was going to be excited about! I was so, so excited for NYC, I needed something that would at least partially make up for the excitement that was lost.

The Manchester Marathon is also tomorrow and while this is a race that I will always hold near and dear to my heart, I really didn’t have a desire to run it again. I didn’t want my first and second marathon to be the same.

Another viable option was the Richmond Marathon, which is happening next weekend and is actually where a lot of runners are headed to since NYC was canceled. Richmond is 6+ hours away and I would probably have to get Friday off from work. It was going to be too much rushed planning, so I decided to pass on this one also.

The Philly Marathon is sold out. I am signed up for the half, and I’m not sure if they would’ve let me upgrade.

The Rehoboth Beach Marathon has been in the back of my head since the Spring. I was thinking I might run it even if I did end up running New York. It’s on my race bucket list, so it’s something I am definitely excited for! It starts and ends right in front of the Dogfish Head Brewpub, what more can I ask for?

So, there’s that. I have 5 more weeks of training now and the course is fast and flat, so maybe I will even adjust my goals a bit.

I will be back for you next year, New York!

Who Wears Short Shorts!

This is going to be a mishmash of things, I have so many little random things to talk about, so lets get to it.

1. I ran an AWESOME 22 miles last weekend! I ran almost the whole perimeter of Manhattan. I saw lots of things and places that I don’t see often, it was quite the adventurous run. I even got caught in several downpours and hid in a bathroom for 10 minutes while one of them passed. I was soaked from rain and sweat once I finally got home. I clocked in overall at a 9:58 pace, which I am happy with, especially since the weather was not ideal.

2. I wore some super short shorts. I bought these Oiselle Stride Shorts before HTC and I was a little self-conscious in them and I only wore them once. I wore them under my Team Sparkle skirt at HTC and since then I’ve forgotten about them. I am basically out of clean clothes and found myself considering them tonight for my run. I put them on and was surprised with how good they felt. I don’t have skinny legs by any means, and I’ve always been self-conscious of my thighs, but I figured I would give these another shot.

Husband: “Jeez, why don’t you put some pants on?”

Me: “Oh my god, do my shorts look bad?”

Husband: “You look like you’re naked”

My husband did not approve of my short shorts, which only increased my self-consciousness as I went outside to run. Well, what happens when you are uncomfortable in your clothes? You run fast! I was supposed to run a slow 5 miles, but I ended up running faster than my 5 mile Tempo run this morning. Oops. By the time I was done, I felt better, but maybe that’s because it was dark out, haha. Either way, I love the shorts now and I will continue to wear them!

Awkward picture, but they don’t look so bad, right?

3. I can’t stop eating bagels. Seriously. My freezer is stocked with them and I should probably stop eating them like I’m running a marathon every day. I should cut myself off. Maybe.

4. I have a bunch of races coming up! Tomorrow I am running the 4 mile race in Central Park. I have 10 miles on my schedule, don’t you just love cutback weeks? So I will be running 6 before the race. My friend Em is running this as her very first race. She is training for the Philly Half in November, which I will also be running! So here’s what’s coming up:

Sept. 15: Fitness Games 4 Mile Race

Sept 22: 5th Avenue Mile

This will be my first 1 mile race, I don’t think I’ve ever even done a 1 mile time trial, so I am excited to see what I’ve got. My ambitious goal is sub 7!

Sept: 23: 18 Mile Tune Up

This will be treated like another training run, where I will be adding 2 miles to make it 20 for the day. I am hoping to finish the 18 around 2:55 if the weather is cool.

Sept 30: Vermont 50

I am running the relay with Lauren and Emily. This came about during our last day in Seattle when Lauren and Emily were discussing the Vermont 50 and I think Lauren suggested running it as a relay, but they weren’t sure who would run in the 3rd spot. I overheard them and thought hm, maybe I could run? I offered up myself, even though I am nowhere near as fast as they are, but they didn’t seem to mind one bit! I am really looking forward to this weekend! It’s going to be filled with VT Cheese, lots of BEER and lots of awesome trail running! Also, what makes it even better is that the husband is coming too! Stoked.

Oct 7th: Staten Island Half

This is a rather hilly race, but I am planning on racing this! Who knows if I will break any kind of record I have, but I am planning on pushing myself to the fullest extent and giving this course all I’ve got.

5. The NYC Marathon is in 7 weeks! This is crazy. It’s so close and I am happy to say that I am feeling more and more ready as time goes on. But, with that, I am also feeling more and more nervous and I’m pretty sure I’m going to puke at the starting line. So there’s that. Jocelyn said she would be there to hold my hair back I am bib #45xxx in the 3rd Wave on the Orange side. Anyone else there?

I leave you with this picture I took on my run last night! The RFK bridge looking over onto Manhattan. I should run at night more often!

Racing the Al Goldstein 5K!

First, thank god it’s Friday, seriously. The. Longest. Week. Ever.

Wednesday night was the 4th race in the Al Goldstein 5k speed series, held in Prospect Park. I had big plans for this race, especially considering it was only going to be 80 degrees. They had to change the normal course up since the NY Philharmonic was playing in the park. The course ended up being hillier, but it also came up a bit short at 3.04 miles.

Most of my runs have been on the easy/slow side and if you couldn’t tell, I’ve been dying to bust out some speedwork lately.

So, after declaring my intentions of running fast, I knew I had some expectations to live up to. The weather was decent, I had my new yellow shoes on, and my legs were plenty rested…I was ready.

I started out fast and I couldn’t slow myself down. I was seeing 6:xx and 7:xx, but I wasn’t worried because I knew they wouldn’t stay there long. I worked on evening myself and keeping my breathing under control. When I realized that 7:xx was here to stay, I forced myself not to freak out. I don’t ever run in the 7′s, so I usually force myself to slow down, but this time felt good and I didn’t want to let it go. I finished the 1st mile in 7:54!

I knew I banked some time with the first mile, but I felt pretty confident that I could at least hang onto low 8′s. The second mile was the toughest, probably due to the fact that I had no idea where the hills were and that there were so many of them. Despite missing the ‘big hill’ at Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park, the course was actually tougher and hillier, in my opinion. Mile 2; 8:14.

It was down to the last mile and I knew I could tough it out. My shoulders were getting really crampy and were bothering me severely at points. I need to learn to relax my shoulders and arms while running fast. My legs were okay and that’s what I kept focusing on. I had a hard time controlling my breathing, but as long as I kept my legs moving, I knew I would be okay. I saw a lot of 7′s during the last mile, so I knew I was going to PR. I also saw Rebecca and Jeremy during the last mile and made it my goal to catch up and pass them. I finished mile 3 in 8:06.

Jeremy and I RACED the last .04! He started to gun it and I didn’t want to lose him, so I gave it everything I had and booked it across the finish line. I heard Abby yell my name and that only pushed me harder! We either finished in the exact same time, or he beat me by a second! I immediately collapsed on the grass for some relief.

5k (er..) 3.04 mi.

Official Time: 24:31

Average Pace: 8:03

A new PR by over a minute! I think I’m actually starting to love 5k’s, maybe there will be more in my future

It was so nice to push myself, I don’t think I’ve done that in a long time! I even managed to beat my 5K PR from 3 years ago!

From left: Katie, Me, Jeremy, Abby, Carla, Rebecca

Racing on My Birthday

My birthday isn’t for another 6 months, but it falls on 1 of 2 prime racing days…a Sunday.

Last year my birthday was Friday the 13th, so next year it skips a day and will fall on a Sunday. After this, I will have to wait a really long time before I will be able to get the chance to run a race on my actual birthday; January 13.

I had the opportunity, as well as the other NYC HTC girls to meet up with Mason, the CEO of Nuun back in June and ever since he told me about the fast 3M Half Marathon course in Austin, TX (that happens to be on my birthday), I can’t stop thinking about it.

I definitely want to run this race one day, but if I don’t get the chance to do it in 2013, then I am still left with the desire to run a race on my birthday!

There are a few races going on that day, but unfortunately I will have to travel for all of them, which makes sense because it will be the middle of winter in the Northeast.

Here are some of the possible races happening on January 13, 2013:

3M Half Marathon - Austin, TX

13.1 Series – Los Angeles, CA

Chevron Houston Marathon & Half – Houston, TX

Walt Disney World Marathon – Florida

While I would obviously LOVE to find a race, travel, and possibly PR on my birthday, I know it’s possible that it may not happen due to lack of funds. We’ll see though, it’s a fun thought and I am definitely going to try hard to make it happen.

Have you ever ran a race on your birthday? Which one did you do?

Hood To Coast: Runner #3!

Nuun announced our legs for Hood To Coast on Tuesday and I am so happy to report that I got my first choice! I am runner #3 in Van 1 and I will be running Legs 3, 15, and 27.

It feels so real now! It’s getting closer and closer and I am unbelievably excited!!!

Here is a more detailed look at the legs I have to run.

Leg #3

3.93 Miles

Ranked as Easy

Leg #15

7.25 Miles

Ranked as Hard

Leg #27

5.79 Miles

Ranked as Moderate

Race Bucket List

I have a serious addiction. And thankfully, I have no money right now to spend because otherwise I would be signed up for races all over the country. There are so many races I want to run and I have no patience, I want to run them all NOW!

I know that’s unrealistic, but I have a hard time figuring out which ones I want to do this year and which ones can wait. 75% of the best races are in the Fall and unfortunately, I don’t think it’s realistic for me to run more than 1 marathon in the Fall (as of right now).

Since 50% of my day is spent thinking about races, I thought it was time to make a Race Bucket List.

If money wasn’t a factor, I would be signed up for 3 or 4 of these already.

Chicago Marathon

My hope was to run this in 2013. I have friends who were supposed to move out there, but not sure if they are anymore. Obviously the price of traveling is a factor, so when the time comes, we will see what the money situation is like.

Philadelphia Marathon

I am considering signing up for the half marathon this year. I have a friend who is just getting into running and I think we are considering this for her first half marathon…am I right, Em? She used to live in Philly and we have been trying to plan a trip there together, so this is the perfect opportunity. It’s 2 weeks after the NYC Marathon, so I’m sure I will be slogging along the course.

Rehoboth Beach Marathon

I am 2 seconds away from signing up for this! I want to run this marathon SO BADLY! It’s a flat, beautiful course that starts and ends right near the Dogfish Head brewery/brewpub! What could be better than that? The thing is, I want to run the full and it’s only 5 weeks after NYC. So, unless I become magical, I’m not sure running another marathon so soon after would be the brightest idea. I could always drop down to the half? It doesn’t sell out quickly, so I’m going to force myself to make the decision until after NYC. I should probably just wait until next year.

Houston Marathon

The lottery opens up for this today! I was considering signing up just for the hell of it, but what happens if I actually get in? It’s on my birthday, so it would be a fun birthday trip, but again, too soon for another marathon. Maybe I will wait until I run a qualifying time. It would be more gratifying that way anyway.

3M Half Marathon

I had the chance to meet Mason last night, the big guy behind Nuun! He was telling me this is a great course, especially if you are trying to set a PR and of course, I am still trying to break that old PR that I set back in 2010. This race is also on my birthday and I know a few people who have been dying to go to Austin, so again it would be a fun birthday trip.

Surf City Marathon

I have been eye-balling this race for a while now. I know several people in the LA area, so I know I could easily have a place to stay (for free!). Not sure if I’m ready to commit to it in 2013 or not.

Mt. Washington Road Race

I was set on applying for the lottery for this race this year, but as I read more about the rules and conditions of traveling up to the summit, I got very discouraged and turned off by it. Some of the rules make sense, but some of them flat out annoyed me. You apparently have to be traveling in a car with at least one other runner up to the top, but there also has to be a driver and everyone has to pay and you can ONLY get in by lottery. I don’t know, I’d rather not get into it now, and I know there are reasons for their rules, but it made me realize this isn’t the year for me to try and apply. I still obviously hope to run this one day!

Falmouth Road Race

My sister applied for the lottery to this race and got in! It’s a great excuse to go on a short vacation to Cape Cod and that’s exactly what her and her husband plan to do. I am jealous of her and know she will have a great time!

Manchester City Half Marathon

I ran my first (and only) marathon here, so I hope to return some day soon and do the half. It’s usually the same day as the NYC Marathon, so I’m sure I will do it the year I don’t run NYC.

Vermont City Marathon

I’ve been looking for a Spring marathon for next year and I feel pretty positive, I want this to be it. After reading about it here and here, I am convinced this will be my spring marathon for next year. It sounds like a great course and I love the idea of another New England race!

Colorado Marathon

Marine Corps Marathon

Wineglass Marathon

New Jersey Marathon

Boilermaker 15K

These are the races I could think of off the top of my head, I’m sure this list will keep on growing!

What races are on your bucket list?

Nuun’s Hood To Coast Relay Team Application

Today is the deadline to enter the Nuun’s Hood To Coast relay team.

I have no idea what my chances are, but I like to stay positive and think that I will make it! I am so glad I entered! I learned about last year’s relay through a few different blogs I read and I have been keeping my eye out, so I wouldn’t miss it this year.

I was struggling for ideas at first, but eventually came up with this with the assistance of my husband. If you haven’t seen Wet Hot American Summer, go watch it NOW! Seriously. It’s nothing short of hilarious.

I knew I would regret not applying to this. It’s an amazing opportunity and looks like a crazy amount of fun. I’ve also been wanting to run a relay for the last 2 years and just the fact that Hood To Coast could be my first one, is amazing!

Wish me luck!

The New Plan

(Click to enlarge)

It was time to make a new schedule. I thought I would be able to survive just working out freely without any specific plan, but I can see now that that’s not going to work. Besides the More/Fitness Women’s half in 2 weeks, I don’t have anymore long races coming up for quite a while.

I am going to focus on getting my ass into good shape! After not PR-ing, I’ve decided that I need to do more strength training. In the past, it has helped me a lot and I know it makes a difference in my running. Most weeks I will be doing it twice a week and focusing on the quality of the workout to make sure I get the most out of it.

I’ve also upped my Tempo speeds since my runs are going to be shorter overall. I’m planning on maintaining a 10 mile long run, so that by the time July rolls around and NYC Marathon training begins, I will already have a good base under my belt.

This starts on Monday!

I’m racing the Colon Cancer Challenge 15K on Sunday and I’m so excited to be upgraded to a new number and color for my corral! This was thanks to my 4 mile PR at the Gridiron Classic in February. It’s had to believe that was my last NYRR race.

Yay, for being a 3!