Return To Running: Week Three
Posted on December 30, 2013 2 Comments
Week three required a little bit of juggling workouts to fit with my personal schedule. But, I’m happy to have a week that more closely resembles what I’m used to – five workouts including running and spinning. Not to mention I’m elated to be running pain-free while slowly rebuilding mileage.
Monday
Run: Easy. (Scheduled: 45-min Easy Spin)
Scheduled for an easy spin session; instead, needed to switch workout to a run.
Felt fantastic – no pain, and happy easy pace is quickly returning to where it used to be during Chicago Marathon training.
Plan called for a run on either a dirt path or the Alter-G treadmill. Ran over to Central Park, onto the bridle path, and back home.
Did PT-recommended hip flexor stretches after.
Conditions: Sun – 34F – felt like 27F – 54% humidity – 15 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min run on dirt path or alter G
- Actual = 2.54 mi – 21:01 – 8:16 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:11; (2) 8:20; (3) 8:14 for .54 mi
Tuesday
Cross-Train: Spin. (Scheduled: 20-min Run on Dirt or Alter-G)
Today’s schedule called for a 20-min easy run. However, I had to switch the workout to evening. Did the spin session that was originally scheduled for Monday instead.
Kept the effort easy, and threw in a couple sprints to make it interesting. Maintained 93+ rpm cadence.
Did PT-recommended hip flexor stretches after.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 45-min easy spin
- Actual = 13.75 mi w/ surges – 45:00
- Splits = N/A
Wednesday
Rest Day.
Thursday
Rest Day.
Friday
Run: Easy.
Again, comfortable pace and no foot pain at all.
Easy run over to Central Park and the bridle path. Beautiful winter day with cool air and clear skies. Finally dropped a negative split…been a while since I’d seen one of those!
Conditions: Sun – 37F – felt like 31F – 41% humidity – 8 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min run
- Actual = 2.61 mi – 22:05 – 8:27 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:37; (2) 8:31; (3) 8:05 for .61 mi
Saturday
Run: Easy.
Scheduled for a 25-min easy run on dirt or Alter-G treadmill.
Happy to be sounding like a broken record: no pain, great run!
Weather was fantastic – late December in NYC and 46F. Shorts, shorts, shorts!!!
Hit the bridle path, which was a muddy mess. Made for great fun as I blasted through the puddles and enjoyed the moment. Also, ran another nice little negative split.
Did PT-recommended hip flexor stretches after.
Conditions: Sun – 46F – feels like 41F – 36% humidity – 13 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 25 min easy on dirt path
- Actual = 3.07 mi – 25:06 – 8:10 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:31; (2) 8:05; (3) 7:59
Sunday
Cross-train: Spin.
Did a 45-minute easy spin session after meeting up with Robin, Neal, Elyssa, Amy, and Kelsey for breakfast.
Maintained cadence around 105+ rpm.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: Breakfast/Coffee
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 45-min easy spin
- Actual = 13.22 mi – 45:00
- Splits = N/A
Weekly Totals
- 2 hrs 38 mins
- 8.22 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Return To Running: Week Two
Posted on December 30, 2013 1 Comment
Week two included some treadmill running, one gorgeous outdoor run, and physical therapy.
Monday
Run: Easy.
Plan called for a 2-mile run with a 5-min walking break in between miles. Since I was at Finish Line PT, snagged some time running on the Alter G treadmill. First time running on this, and it’s quite an experience. Can see how the air chamber actually encourages better form as you really need to engage that forward lean to stay rooted on the belt.
Ran at 75% body weight for two miles. Did not take the 5-min walk break as the run felt comfortable and easy.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: N/A
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 mi easy; 5-min walking RI; 1 mi easy
- Actual = 2 mi – 16:53 – 8:27 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = N/A
Tuesday
Cross-Train: Spin.
45-min easy spin session.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 45 min easy spin
- Actual = 45 min easy spin
- Splits = N/A
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
Ran on the treadmill after physical therapy again. This time, used the regular treadmill. Finish Line PT’s treadmill is calibrated better than any Equinox treadmill I’ve been on lately. An easy 8:30 pace felt like an actual 8:30 pace. Not like in the gym, where I grapple with a 9-min/mi feeling like a sprint.
Started a little slower than 8:30 and reduced to 8:20 for mile 2. Did not take the 5-min walk break.
Felt great, no pain.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: N/A
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 mi easy; 5-min walking RI; 1 mi easy
- Actual = 2 mi – 17:05 – 8:32 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = N/A
Thursday
Rest Day.
Friday
Rest Day.
Saturday
Rest Day.
Sunday
Run: Easy.
Easy evening run in this beautiful, mild weather. Was elated to run in shorts and a singlet in late December!
Run felt fantastic.
Conditions: Evening – 64F – felt like 64F – 70% humidity – 7mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 mi easy; 5 min walking RI; 1 mi easy; 5 min walking RI; 1 mi easy
- Actual = (Running) 3 mi – 24:39 – 8:13 min/mi avg pace
- Splits (Running) = (1) 8:00; (2) 8:18; (3) 8:21
- Total activity w/ walking breaks = 3.56 mi – 34:54 – 9:47 min/mi avg pace
Weekly Totals
- 1 hrs 53 mins
- 7 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
The Breaks: Moving Beyond Injury
Posted on December 21, 2013 2 Comments
“Turn your wounds into wisdom.”
Oprah Winfrey
~
Two weeks ago, I returned to Dr. Geller, the orthopedic podiatrist who’s been treating my most-recent stress fracture. He x-rayed the site of the injury, and gave me the green light – healed! You can see it in the middle metatarsal: a faint, swirly milky way of new bone. I can finally put seven weeks of recovery behind me. Now, it’s time for next steps.
Since this stress fracture is a repeat injury – second instance on same foot, different metatarsal – Dr. Geller has me undergoing a number of evaluations to determine the cause(s). Between a DEXA bone scan to determine bone mineral density, blood work, and a gait evaluation with a physical therapist – some answers are to be had.
With each piece of the puzzle comes a better understanding of why I came away injured during the Chicago Marathon. Since the tests are still ongoing, I’ll wait to put all the information together. I realize my experience is not uncommon. Hopefully the information I share at some point will be useful to someone in the same situation.
In the meantime, I’m undergoing physical therapy at Finish Line PT to help retrain and strengthen the supporting muscles – especially in my right foot/leg.
Initially I felt discouraged to find myself sidelined a second time. Eventually, I accepted the repeat injury as a cry from my body that something needed to be addressed now. As I begin to understand the larger picture around this small stress fracture, I see that this is a valuable learning experience. Hopefully all the information and therapy will become the foundation for a faster, stronger spring season…and running career, in general.
Return To Running: Week One
Posted on December 17, 2013 Leave a Comment
Week one marked my return to Coach Kevin’s running workouts! I was officially cleared to run on December 6, so back up we start! I’ve also embarked on Physical Therapy to help rehab my foot and correct my running form moving forward. It’s humbling to start up again running a mile at a time, but I’ve said it before: even a mile is solid ground from which to propel forward. New goals await, as does some healthy running.
Monday
Run: Easy.
Scheduled to run one mile on soft surface. Instead, had a photo shoot for Fitness Magazine, which required some easy running back and forth. Was outside in the cold/rain for a good 30-40 minutes. Figured that covered the effort of a one-mile run.
Conditions: Rain – 30(ish)F
Fuel: N/A
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 mi easy
- Actual = Easy jogging back & forth over short distance (~ 30 min)
- Splits = N/A
Tuesday
Cross-Train: Spin
Blatantly misinterpreted Kevin’s workout instructions. Subtle difference made for a very different workout than intended. Resulted in what Kevin claimed “must have been a hellacious workout.”
Believe instructions actually indicated 4 or 5 intervals of :45-1:00 surges, with a 3-min easy rest between each. Instead, I thought he meant 4 intervals of 4-min or 5-min surges with the last minute of each surge even faster. So, that’s what I did. Regardless, it was a great workout.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 4-5 x :45-1:00 harder (3:00 RI); 10 min cd
- Actual = 57 min = 15 min wu; 4 x 5-min surge w/ 1:00 harder (3:00 RI); 10 min cd
- Splits = N/A
Wednesday
Physical Therapy: Initial Evaluation.
Met with Alison, the Physical Therapist at Finish Line PT, who is helping rehab my foot after stress fracture recovery. She did some balance and form assessments during a 1-hour evaluation.
Focused on stretching my calves and hip flexors, and some form corrections concerning my right foot.
Thursday
Run: Easy.
Kevin has me doing my return-to-running workouts on soft surfaces (i.e. a dirt path or trail). The temperatures have been cold, which is normally fine for my running. But the nearest dirt path is at least a 10-minute walk away from home. Not far, but in the cold, I would be walking more than running. So, I opted for another soft surface: the treadmill. Believe me, it’s not my favorite option, but lets me get the job done. Kept the treadmill pace very easy.
Did the hip flexor and calf stretches that Alison – Physical Therapist from Finish Line PT – recommended before run.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 10 min easy on dirt path
- Actual = 1.13 mi – 10:00 – 8:50 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = N/A
Friday
Cross-Train: Spinning
Moved workout to Saturday due to personal schedule.
Saturday
Two-workout day.
Cross-Train: Spinning
This was Friday’s workout, moved to Saturday. Did 45 min easy spin, concentrating on keeping RPM at 90. Did a few surges from 20-seconds to 1:00. Nothing crazy – relatively low resistance – just to get cadence up.
Shoe: Shimano Cycling Shoe
Run: Easy.
Easy 10-15 min run on treadmill following spin session. With the snow, wasn’t worth testing a newly healed stress fracture on some slick ground. Again, kept treadmill pace very easy.
Did the hip flexor and calf stretches that Alison – Physical Therapist from Finish Line PT – recommended after run.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 10-15 min easy on dirt path
- Actual = 1.67 mi – 15:00 – 9:00 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = N/A
Sunday
Rest Day.
Weekly Totals
- 3 hrs 37mins
- 2.8 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
What’s Next: 2014 Spring Season
Posted on December 5, 2013 6 Comments
5K and Brooklyn Brutus
“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.”
Walter Elliot
~
After the Chicago Marathon, and while my stress fracture healed, I began to wonder: what’s next. With every marathon I’d run, I immediately had the next 26.2 lined up. Until Chicago. Not only did I not have the next race in mind, suddenly, I found myself wondering if a spring marathon was even in the cards. There were several factors influencing the decision.
Which Race?
I spent some time researching spring marathons. I polled long-distance runners: what’s your favorite (fast) spring marathon course? The recommendations came, one after the other. There were plenty from which to choose. I could stay local, or travel across the country again. The options didn’t stop there. If I was willing to travel internationally, there was the London Marathon. Yet, none of the races were striking a chord with me. I waited for that gut reaction to scream: THIS IS IT! Surprisingly, that feeling didn’t surface.
I could name quite a few fall marathons I’d love to run. However, for the spring, I felt aimless. While I had been “there” for Chicago – all the physical and mental components prepped and primed to race – my injury had unexpectedly diverted me.
This time, I found myself facing a different internal debate.
What Distance?
The debate I found myself having was if I even wanted to race a spring marathon. Yes, I still have unrealized goals – a 3:23 (or faster) finish time and a Boston Qualifier. I haven’t abandoned those dreams. They’re still quite important to me. But, that internal voice for which I awaited spoke up, and I decided to listen. What felt right for me, this time, was to forgo the marathon for a season. The path suddenly diverged from that steady marathon course. What I saw instead was a short distance away, a much shorter distance.
The decision: spend the spring training for short distance races (5k, 10k) to get faster and stronger.
The Reasoning
For a few years, several running coach friends had suggested this approach. I always politely listened, and decidedly ignored their advice. They’d said take a season off from the marathon to build speed. “Oh, okay. I’ll think about it,” was my typical reaction. Suddenly, I saw the validity of their recommendations in context of the larger picture. Now it made sense.
After five marathons, I could clearly see the obstacles I kept facing in pursuit of a faster finishing time. These obstructions – Injuries (piriformis syndrome and two instances of stress fractures) and mental blocks – were very real. My first DNF (Did Not Finish) in Chicago was a wakeup call. It was an event drastic enough to make me take a step back to reevaluate.
The reason I’ve finally decided to heed the call of shorter distance racing is simple: it’s an investment in my running career, and it’s a component to help me achieve my long-distance goals. I’m not giving up on the marathon. Those goals are very much alive. But, I’ve decided to take a different path to get there.
I gave this decision some time to sit in my brain. I wanted to ensure it wasn’t a whim, that I wasn’t switching focus simply because I felt discouraged. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I’m fiercely determined to become a faster, stronger runner. If it means taking a season away from long distance, so be it. I’m willing to do this to run healthy and get faster.
The Reassurance
When I finally conferred with Kevin about my wishes, he supported. What he said went along the lines of:
- This will give us ample time to safely build back up to the marathon, post-injury.
- The shorter races will give a more complete running picture and help us gauge my potential.
- It will provide valuable race experience.
- It will help me increase my speed.
- It will help condition my body to fight through pain.
- It will give me an opportunity to learn new race strategies.
- All the above will only help provide a stronger base for a faster fall marathon.
What Now?
My conversation with Kevin bolstered my excitement. With my Coach’s encouragement, I’m ready to cocentrate on building back up safely and to start training. This short-term change in focus is what I need: it’s a fresh perspective and a new challenge. I’ve never properly trained for a 5k or 10k. Actually, minus one 5K I ran as a benchmark for Chicago Marathon training, I’ve never earnestly raced these distances.
My paces had gotten much faster during marathon training. If I can do that while preparing for long-distance, what exactly awaits when I specifically train for these shorter distances? I’m excited to find out!
Now, time to ease back into running and find some goal races for the calendar.
Looking ahead, moving onward, getting faster.
Monthly Mileage: November 2013
Posted on December 2, 2013 Leave a Comment
That’s what recovery from a stress fracture looks like!
Giving Thanks
Posted on December 2, 2013 1 Comment
“Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot.”
Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s
~
Yes, it’s indeed time to make some decisions about spring goals. As I look forward, I’d also like to express my profound and heartfelt appreciation to those who support me. Their continued encouragement is not only amazing, but also inspiring and reassuring. They’ve stood with me while I’ve pushed my personal boundaries, and they’ve stayed by my side when I’ve stumbled. That says a lot. “No (wo)man is an island, entire of itself.” I’m fortunate to be in the company of these kickass people!
Kevin Granato
With Granato Racing coach, Kevin Granato, in Eugene, OR
Kevin’s the man behind Granato Racing, and the one who builds me up to my race paces. When we first started working together, he insisted on “trust and patience.” Putting my trust in Kevin has been a wise decision. The working relationship you have with a coach is crucial to how far you can progress together. I’ve relinquished some of my Type A control in training and have put the reins in Kevin’s hands. The guy has made me faster and stronger in such a short amount of time. More than I ever expected. He’s supportive, responsive, and calls me out on my bullshit when I start to go rogue on my paces. Exactly what I need! I’m looking forward to seeing where we go next.
Jason Hamera
Jason Hamera, personal trainer and badass Taekwondo black belt
Jason’s the personal trainer who whips my muscles into shape to support my quest for a faster marathon. He makes me work each week through body weight exercises, agility drills, plyometrics, and good old classic weightlifting. He “trains me like an athlete” to get stronger, focusing on correcting some physical imbalances. As a black belt in Taekwondo, the guy knows a thing or two about suffering through training to achieve a goal. He offers great advice, unwavering support, and much-needed humor. He always knows when his workouts are successfully pushing me to new limits: I stop bantering and go quiet. The tell-tale sign he’s making me work hard.
Generation UCAN
#UCAN break your personal barriers
Generation UCAN – the product itself – transformed how I feel on my runs. People look at me in disbelief (and maybe hope?) when I tell them two packets of UCAN pre-run keeps me fueled for 22-mile runs! However, it’s absolutely true. I wouldn’t tout the quality of a product in which I didn’t believe. What’s even better are the amazing people behind the company. They’ve partnered with me since I trained for the Eugene Marathon. You can find me hanging with these great people at various race expos, explaining there’s a better way to fuel for your athletic endeavors. Any day I get to work with the UCAN crew is a fun, happy, and well-fueled day!
Saucony
#FindYourStrong: Saucony NYC Viziglow Kinvara 4
Likewise for another amazing product in which I believe: Saucony! Their shoes have been an elemental factor in bettering my runs. I rotate between three models of Sauconys during training: Ride (for easy/recovery runs), Kinvara (for tempo & long runs, and long-distance races), Type A (for speed work and short-distance races). Their shoes fit my feet well – and I wish I could wear the Type A for every. single. run. (I don’t, though.) The people at Saucony have been great helping me select the proper shoes in which to train. Their mission is to not only create the best running shoes, but to actually inspire people to run. I admit, any time I lace up a pair of Sauconys to run, I know it’s going to make my day feel better. I appreciate all the thumbs up they’ve given me as I constantly work to find my strong.
Granato Racing Teammates
#GranatoRacing
Kevin’s crew of Granato Racing runners is a fast and friendly bunch. I love being part of a team, spread out nationally, who train and run hard. They’re also just really awesome people! Teammates Chanthana and Tim took such great care of me as I arrived to run the Chicago Marathon. They seriously went above and beyond making everything stress-free on race weekend. I’ve had so much fun cheering for my teammates as they’ve run incredible races this year. Not only do #IheartKG, but I adore the #GranatoRacing team. You guys fuel my fire!
Family and Family of Friends
Good Friends and Good Cheer
What a fortunate problem to have: there are too many of you to name individually! Yet, I appreciate the support I’m lucky to receive from both family and friends. This running quest has been, for me, a personal one that many times is about much more than running. It’s been a gateway for personal empowerment and improvement. From the friend I’ve known since I was seven years old, to recent friends, to the incredible online community of runners I’ve met, I’m forever grateful for the encouragement you endlessly offer. Many of you have seen me from my first race at 11-min/mi pace, to recently watching me bust big-time trying to run a 3:23 marathon. Point is, whether that first race or the most recent, the love and support has been equal. The advice, the listening, the kinds words when I succeed and when I’m injured…it all charges me up for the next time I run. There has been no kind sentiment that’s gone unnoticed.
Thanks!
To all of you, I say: Thank you, thank you, thank you! I look forward to running many more (faster!) miles with you by my side!
Closing The Chicago Chapter
Posted on November 29, 2013 7 Comments
“Each goal achieved is equally a dream destroyed.”
Reinhold Messner
~
Thank you kindly for the introduction, Reinhold. I should add: my marathon dream is still very much intact. The Chicago Marathon was a beautiful race on a day made for marathoning. The conditions were ideal, and I lined up feeling confident. My mind was there, as were my lungs and heart. I stockpiled determination and trusted my training. Why, then, did my body not cooperate?
Training
The man behind my paces: Kevin Granato
My training for this race had been a welcomed challenge. Under coach Kevin’s guidance, I increased my mileage and speed. I got stronger and faster than I expected. We’d set a high-level goal at the start of Chicago training: sub-3:40. That would take care of my Boston Qualifier. In the weeks that followed, I took the BQ pressure off the table. I told myself: just train the way you’re told, and run your time. Boston will simply be a by-product achievement. Until then, don’t think of it. Throughout training, Kevin kept refining my target paces. When I received my final race goal the week before Chicago, there was no panic or doubt. I trained for this. All I needed to do was execute.
Target Paces
Miles 1-13 = 7:50 – 7:55 min/mi
Miles 13-18 = 7:40 – 7:50 min/mi
Miles 18-26 = 7:40 or below, or maintain
Race Goal
3:23
Race Day
#OwnChicago
On race morning, I slipped to the front of my corral. I could see the start line, meters ahead, and felt at ease. My mind was calm and well-prepared. This was a significant change from how I’d felt during Eugene Marathon, where negative thoughts derailed me at mile 19.
For Chicago, I trained mentally as much as physically. To push through hard workouts, I pictured that finish line. Muhammad Ali’s words swirled through my head, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” I embraced the challenges of training and used them to harden my resolve.
When it came time to race, I wanted to focus on several factors:
- Pace – know the plan and stick with it.
- Form – relax, especially in my arms and shoulders, despite fatigue.
- Nutrition – fuel with UCAN at set intervals to maintain even energy.
- Push – accept the inevitable pain and hustle through it.
I was quite pleased with my pacing. Trying to maintain 8:10 min/mi pace felt challenging six months earlier. Suddenly running sub-8 minute miles (7:50-7:40 range) felt comfortable. My breathing was even and I was in-control. With the race broken into three segments (see Target Paces, above), I aimed to stay close to the prescribed pace ranges.
According to my Garmin, I was there. I conscientiously held myself back in the first 13 miles. My pace felt easy as I stayed present in the moment. I was excited to see friends and fellow Granato Racing teammates cheering along the course; with each adrenaline rush they provided, I quickly returned my focus to the race.
My plan was to fuel with pre-mixed UCAN gel packets at three points during the race: miles 8, 15, and 22. I’d drank two chocolate protein-enhanced packets of UCAN 30 minutes before the start. The gel packets (cleverly stored in small resealable bags secured from The Container Store, per Brian’s suggestion) were tucked into the waist band of my race briefs and one in my sports bra. At mile 8, I easily consumed a gel and continued on.
As mile 13 approached, I lowered my pace. Kevin was along the course – near mile 13 – to check on me. I gave him a big thumbs-up. I felt great and was moving right along.
After seeing Kevin, I rounded a left turn along the course. This is when my race began to unravel. A sharp pain flared up in my right foot at the 14-mile mark. I could feel it radiating from the top, middle. This was familiar and discouraging territory – having experienced similar during the Pensacola Marathon. I grappled with staying on-schedule. I fueled again at mile 15 and tried to maintain pace, but the pain worsened with each foot fall. Within the span of a mile, compensating for the pain had completely compromised my gait. At mile 16, I pulled off the course at the medical tent.
Medics massaged, wrapped, and iced my foot. They were compassionate and worked as quickly as possible. They eventually gave me the option of running to the next aid station, two miles further, to test my foot. I decided to try: I didn’t want to drop out of the race. With my right shoe back in place, I ran two steps out of the aid station and knew I was done. There was no way for me to endure the impact of running on the injury. I limped back to the aid station cot. I watched runners journey onward as a medic registered me for the bus back to the start village.
Despite intense disappointment, I felt oddly at peace with the unfortunate outcome of this race. Even if I could have hobbled my way through the last ten miles, that was not my goal. I didn’t want to simply finish another marathon. My goal was to get that 3:23-range finish time for which I’d trained. There was no point furthering the injury when my race-day opportunity had pulled off the course with me at mile 16.
Actual Pace
- (1) 7:32* (signal interference in underpass)
- (2) 7:40** for 373 ft (hit lap button on Garmin to gauge actual pace)
- (3) 7:54
- (4) 7:39
- (5) 7:47
- (6) 7:48
- (7) 7:50
- (8) 7:40
- (9) 7:49
- (10) 7:49
- (11) 7:45
- (12) 7:48
- (13) 7:47
- (14) 7:41* (this is actually mile 13, since I hit the lap rest at mile 2)
- (15) 7:44
- (16) 7:51 * (mile 15 – foot pain, but still running)
- (17) 9:46 * (mile 16 – dropped out )
Speaking to other runners who’d also dropped from the race helped provide perspective. Injury and having to drop out of a race sometimes come with the territory. It can happen to novice and veteran runners alike, and the rest of us in-between. Many times, the injury could be much, much worse. I couldn’t change the outcome of my marathon that day; instead, I decided to focus on some much needed mental and physical recovery time.
The bus dropped us off at the baggage area to retrieve our checked bags. Heat sheet in place – but lacking both a finishing time and finisher’s medal – race volunteers working the table congratulated me. “Thanks very much, but I didn’t finish.” The man behind the table smiled warmly, “Oh, I’m sorry. But, at least you tried. That matters.”
With that, the chapter closed.
Aftermath
Familiar Territory: The Walking Boot
People say, “Go big, or go home.” I suppose a World Majors Marathon was a stage large enough to experience my first DNF or, Did Not Finish. I see it as a rite of passage, in a way. It’s just not a pleasant one.
When I returned to New York City, I sought a foot and ankle specialist with a sports focus. An MRI confirmed: stress fracture at the base of the third metatarsal in my right foot. The doctor ordered a battery of other tests, including blood work and a bone density evaluation. All results are unknown at the time of this publication.
The immediate goal is to determine the root cause of two stress fractures within a year, and prevent them moving forward. Since I intend to keep running – and training hard – it’s time to figure out what I need to run healthy from here on out.
In The Last Lecture, Randy Pausch said, “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.” No, I may not have smashed my goal in Chicago, but I sure as hell gained some valuable experience.
With Chanthana and Lauren, immediately post-DNF
Granato Racing After Party: with Kevin and Tim
With Tim and the Mayor of Running, Bart Yasso
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Seventeen
Posted on October 7, 2013 1 Comment
Week seventeen’s runs were pretty darn good. Perhaps minus Wednesday’s easy run, as that workout never feels great, to me. That aside, the runs went smoothly and my legs feel more recovered. Taper’s progressing along quite nicely, and I’m not experiencing taper madness as much as I have previously. At the time of publication, less than a week left to go.
Monday
Rest Day.
Tuesday
Run: Tempo.
Best my legs have felt on the run in a couple weeks. Foam rolling and trigger point seems to help. Something about the warmer weather also helped them feel more relaxed.
Short tempo workout on street and reservoir.
Conditions: Sun – 80F – felt like 80F – 38% humidity – 4 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 2mi @ 7:10; 15 min cd
- Actual = 5.7 mi – 44:12 – 7:45 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.85 mi – 15:00 – 8:07 min/mi avg pace
- (1) – 7:05
- (2) – 7:06
- (cd) – 1.86 mi – 15:00 – 8:04 min/mi avg pace
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
Cut this short by 10 minutes. Just felt like wrapping up. Decided I’d rather put my effort into Thursday’s intervals, at this point.
Got the idea to start breaking in a new pair of Kinvara 4 for race day. Coach warned me to stick with what’s tried and tested: the shoes I’ve been training in. Fortunately, I have two pairs of Kinvara in rotation, neither of which are nearing retirement. This is how he steers me in the right direction.
Conditions: Sun – 83F – felt like 83F – 47% humidity – 10mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min easy @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 6.01 mi – 49:18 – 8:12 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:19; (2) 8:18; (3) 8:00; (4) 8:13; (5) 8:12; (6) 8:12
* Never mind mile 3 – caught up with another runner I thought I knew. Turned out, I didn’t.
Thursday
Run: 400m Intervals.
Coach said this workout would feel like holding back. He was right.
This was a taper speed workout meant to keep legs sharp. Love how consistent the intervals turned out! This was a good run.
Conditions: Sun – 76F – felt like 76F – 37% humidity – 3 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 3 x 1000m @10k Pace (4:19) (3 min walking RI); 15 min cd
- Actual = 5.91 mi – 51:34 – 8:43 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.85 mi – 15:06 – 8:10 min/mi avg pace
- (1) – .62 mi – 4:19.23 – 6:58 min/mi
- (2) – .62 mi – 4:19.51 – 6:58 min/mi
- (3) – .62 mi – 4:19.31 – 6:58 min/mi
- (cd) – 1.73 mi – 14:26 – 8:20 min/mi avg pace
Friday
Rest Day.
Saturday
Run: Long
Ran 10 miles of Urban Athletics 20-mile training run. Paced two guys from their mile 6-16, then they broke off to finish the last four miles at marathon pace.
Felt fantastic on this run. Legs finally felt comfortable and easy again!
Was supposed to do one mile at 7:50 pace in the middle of the run. Wasn’t able to do that while pacing people.
Conditions: Overcast – 67F – humid
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 hr 20 min easy @ 8:20-8:35 pace, w/ 1 mi in middle at 7:50 pace.
- Actual = 10.03 mi – 1:23:11 – 8:17 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:13; (2) 8:20; (3) 8:18; (4) 8:21; (5) 8:18; (6) 8:28; (7) 8:19; (8) 8:20; (9) 8:11; (10) 8:06
Sunday
Rest Day.
Weekly Totals
- 3 hrs 48 mins
- 27.65 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Sixteen
Posted on September 29, 2013 3 Comments
Week sixteen was my first full week of taper. Coach cut back on mileage but geared my workouts to keeping my legs sharp. Ran intervals for the first time on a track (I know, where have I been all this time?) and ran my long run to mimic race-day pacing strategy. All in all, pretty happy with how the workouts went.
Now, I’m turning my attention slowly toward race day. A big part of my race day strategy’s focused on fueling. You probably know I’m a devout Generation UCAN user. If you’re interested in how some athletes use UCAN during a marathon, check out this helpful post on their blog!
Also, the icing on the cake this week was Saucony featuring the above photo on their Facebook and Instagram feeds! Huzzah!
Two weeks until Chicago Marathon. So close, I can see it now! (That’s called “visualization.”) 🙂
Monday
Rest Day.
Tuesday
Run: Tempo.
Fantastic evening tempo along the West Side Highway bike path. The dark made it easier to run without keeping close tabs on my Garmin for pace. Tempo miles felt great.
Conditions: Evening – Clear – 65F
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 3 mi @ 7:10; 15 min cd
- Actual = 6.55 mi – 51:15 – 7:49 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.76 mi – 15:00 – 8:29 min/mi
- (1) – 7:05
- (2) – 7:08
- (3) – 7:02
- (cd) – 1.78 mi – 15:00 – 8:24 min/mi
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
Pushed this run from morning to afternoon. After last night’s tempo, the legs needed a bit more recovery time between sessions.
Legs felt a bit heavy. Took it easy and started off slow. Stuck to bridle path/reservoir for majority of run.
Thankful for Tao’s company on this run. Made the miles go quickly.
Conditions: Sun – 72F – felt like 72F – 38% humidity – 3 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 50 min easy @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = 6.07 mi – 52:44 – 8:41 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 9:17; (2) 8:39; (3) 8:30; (4) 8:43*; (5) 8:30; (6) 8:27
* Dip in pace at mile 4 is from being redirected off bridle path. Interrupted the flow of things.
Thursday
Rest Day.
This was meant to be 400m Interval day. Moved the workout to Friday due to personal schedule.
Friday
Run: 400m Intervals.
First time (I know, I know) running intervals on a track.
Can you guess during which splits I decided to “not look at my Garmin and go by a landmark?” Yea, I’m sure you can. Went a little Prefontaine out there, when I should’ve been holding back.
Felt great running this. Legs cooperated after two days of foam rolling & an extra day of rest.
Had to contend with a little bit of headwind, given the track’s right along the river.
Conditions: Sun – 67F – felt like 67F – 49% humidity – 6mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 5 min drills; 7 x 400m @ 1:35-40 (1:15 walking RI); 10 min cd
- Actual = 5.51 mi – 46:27 – 8:25 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.87 mi – 14:42 – 7:52 min/mi avg pace
- (1) – .25 mi – 1:26.58 – 5:46 min/mi
- (2) – .25 mi – 1:30.79 – 6:03 min/mi
- (3) – .25 mi – 1:26.07 – 5:44 min/mi
- (4) – .25 mi – 1:31.97 – 6:08 min/mi
- (5) – .25 mi – 1:30.99 – 6:04 min/mi
- (6) – .25 mi – 1:31.78 – 6:07 min/mi
- (7) – .25 mi – 1:31.12 – 6:04 min/mi
- (cd) – 1.29 mi – 10:10 – 7:51 min/mi avg pace
Saturday
Rest Day.
This was meant to be my long run day. Planned to run in the evening, to maximize recovery after intervals and keep on-schedule. Decided to move run to Sunday morning after seeing Central Park was packed due to a concert.
Sunday
Run: Long
First mistake on this run was wearing arm warmers. They came off in the first two minutes. Second mistake was wearing a shirt. That came off after the first mile. Was much warmer than I expected.
Coach said this run would require discipline as the first eight miles would be at 8:45 pace, then dropping to tempo in the last four miles: a chance to practice race strategy.
Those first either miles required patience to stay on target. Kept counting down the miles, and told myself I could let go and fly the last four.
Gorgeous morning for a run, though. Park is starting to look like fall!
Conditions: Sun – 57F – felt like 57F – 67% humidity – 6mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1hr 40 min slow with fast finish (~8mi @ 8:45; 4 mi @ 7:20)
- Actual = 12.04 mi – 1:37:58 – 8:08 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:40; (2) 8:42; (3) 8:42; (4) 8:41; (5) 8:44; (6) 8:44; (7) 8:40; (8) 8:05; (9) 7:14; (10) 7:13; (11) 7:06; (12) 7:06
Weekly Totals
- 4 hrs 08 mins
- 30.17 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Fifteen
Posted on September 22, 2013 5 Comments
Week fifteen was my last intense set of workouts before beginning to taper. The week had three fantastic runs. Thrown in was one “easy” run that felt junky, with noticeable shin pain. It caused me to take an unscheduled rest day, which helped. Closed the week out with an amazing set of intervals and a lovely longish run. To which I say: it’s taper time! Three weeks left until Chicago Marathon!
Monday
Rest Day.
Tuesday
Run: Tempo.
Weather couldn’t have been more beautiful for a run. Squeezed this workout in with just enough time. Tightly scheduled day.
Tempo miles felt fantastic. Better than the warmup and cool down, actually. I just love that verge between comfortable and uncomfortable that tempo runs afford. It’s when I’m happiest on the run.
Legs felt more than decent after Sunday’s 20-miler.
Conditions: Sun – 65F – felt like 65F – 34% humidity – 5mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 4 mi @ 7:10-7:15; 20 min cd
- Actual = 9.00 mi – 1:09:42 – 7:44 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 2.5 mi – 20:03 – 8:01 min/mi avg pace
- (1) – 7:07
- (2) – 7:08
- (3) – 7:09
- (4) – 7:07
- (cd) – 2.5 mi – 21:03 – 8:25 min/mi avg pace
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
Eh, what a weird evening run.
A) My shins felt like crap. They were suddenly sore and bothering me. They loosened up a few miles into the run, but overall, I was irritated they were irritated.
B) Ran in the park at dark: spotted several raccoons darting around, and was swooped at by a bat. Also, there were at least 30-40 cop cars roving through the park, and stationed at 102nd Traverse. Why?
C) Got bored with my surroundings, so took my cranky shins down Broadway from 59th street to 18th St/Union Square for a change of scenery.
D) Miles 7 & 8 were down Broadway – Times Square was a mob scene and I kept losing the bike path somehow. Looking at my splits, can you guess which mile was in Times Square?
E) Cut the run by 10 minutes thinking: “That was enough for today. I get the point.” But, it was certainly an adventure!
Conditions: Not recorded.
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 hr 20 min easy @ 8:20 – 8:35 pace
- Actual = 8.02 mi – 1:08:39 – 8:33 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:45; (2) 8:42; (3) 8:35; (4) 8:32; (5) 8:27; (6) 8:16; (7) 9:13; (8) 7:56
Thursday
Run: Canceled.
Schedule called for 60 min easy; however, shins were still achy from Wednesday’s run. Checked with Coach, who okayed an unscheduled rest day.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: N/A
Shoe: N/A
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min easy @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 0.00 mi
- Splits = N/A
Friday
Run: 800m Intervals.
Thursday’s rest day helped immensely.
No shin pain meant I ran my Yasso 800s feeling great!
Coach had said by the time I worked up to 10 x 800m, the workout would be more about endurance than speed. This run absolutely confirmed that.
Was quite happy with the relatively consistent pacing on these. Also adding to the happiness: my interval pace matched my 1-mile race time at last year’s 5th Avenue Mile. And, here I did 5 miles worth of distance at that pace!
Conditions: Sun/Wind – 70F – felt like 70F – 51% humidity – 10 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 5 min drills; 10 x 800m @3:20-30 (2:30 walking RI); 5 min cd
- Actual = 8.99 mi – 1:18:21 – 8:42 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.84 mi – 15:03 – 8:10 min/mi avg pace
- (1) – .5 mi – 3:20 – 6:40 min/mi
- (2) – .5 mi – 3:16 – 6:33 min/mi
- (3) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:37 min/mi
- (4) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:37 min/mi
- (5) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:37 min/mi
- (6) – .5 mi – 3:17 – 6:35 min/mi
- (7) – .5 mi – 3:16 – 6:32 min/mi
- (8) – .5 mi – 3:14 – 6:28 min/mi
- (9) – .5 mi – 3:18 – 6:36 min/mi
- (10) – .5 mi – 3:15 – 6:30 min/mi
- (cd) – .67 mi – 5:24 – 8:06 min/mi avg pace
Saturday
Rest Day.
Sunday
Run: Long
After Friday’s intervals, and spending most of Saturday on my feet, I didn’t think my legs would have it in them today.
Woke up late and had a hard time getting out the door. Started around 8:30 AM, and my legs felt stiff the first mile. Thankfully they loosened up and the run fell nicely into place.
Gorgeous morning, with lots happening in the park – people warming up for 5th Ave Mile, people doing long runs, and a triathlon. It was a nice diversion.
Did majority of the run in the park, both on the drive and around the reservoir. Finished last 4 miles along the Hudson, which was quite windy.
Conditions: Sun – 66F – felt like 66F – 48% humidity – 14 mph winds
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 2hr – 2hr 15 min @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 16.01 mi – 2:11:48- 8:13 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:31; (2) 8:12; (3) 8:13; (4) 8:08; (5) 8:26; (6) 8:19; (7) 8:15; (8) 8:15; (9) 8:14; (10) 8:10; (11) 8:12; (12) 8:02; (13) 8:16; (14) 8:11; (15) 8:08; (16) 8:04
Weekly Totals
- 5 hrs 48 mins
- 42.02 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Fourteen
Posted on September 18, 2013 5 Comments
Week fourteen was a funky training week. It was probably the most I’d fallen off schedule, so far. It kicked off with a fantastic long tempo run. After that, the weather reared its ugly head. High temperatures, crazy humidity, and a terrible storm all played their part in derailing my week. Real life got in the way, too. When it rains, it pours was true on so many levels. As Coach said: keep progressing with the plan. By the weekend, I was rested and ready to tackle my longest run of training – 20 miles followed immediately by 45 minutes of cross-training. I worked the Philly RnR Half Marathon into my long run. Turned out to be a huge confidence booster: strong legs at the end of 20 miles.
However, the best reaction to my less-than-perfect training week came from Beganics, with this tweet. Amen, Kevin, amen. A well-timed reminder that weeks like these sometimes happen, and they too shall pass.
Monday
Run: Tempo.
I love you, tempo run! Beautiful 11-miler through Central Park w/ 8 mi at tempo, on a gorgeous day.
Coach said this was a benchmark tempo, and should feel like I’m holding back. Indeed, the pace felt very comfortable. I’m kind of giddy over the fact that this comfy tempo pace was my 5k pace just this past March!
Smiling from ear to ear over this one.
Note: I programmed the run as a custom workout on my Garmin. Therefore, don’t have individual splits for the 8 mi part, just an average.
Conditions: Sun – 71F – felt like 71F – 46% humidity – 8 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 7-8 mi @ 7:30-7:40; 5-10 min cd
- Actual = 11.05 mi – 1:24:37 – 7:39 avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.85 mi – 15:00 – 8:07 min/mi avg pace
- (tempo) – 8.00 mi – 59:37 – 7:27 min/mi avg pace
- (cd) – 1.21 mi – 10:00 – 8:17 min/mi avg pace
Tuesday
Run: Easy.
If I cut myself slack based on the fact I was tired, and the heat/humidity skyrocketed again, then this run felt fine.
Also, ran around 1:30 pm. Hello, midday sun.
A bit sluggish, but overall felt okay. No comment on the splits. Don’t even know what was happening there. Brought half the bridle path dirt home with me on my ankles. Is it time for mile repeats yet? Would much rather be doing that.
Conditions: Sun – 84F – felt like 88F – 60% humidity – 7mph wind.
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min easy @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = 6.96 mi – 58:24 – 8:23 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:36; (2) 7:57; (3) 8:47; (4) 8:18; (5) 812; (6) 7:59; (7) 8:57
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
I’d been out on my feet all day, was dehydrated, and the weather was incredibly hot/humid. Wasn’t feeling great, so canned the run. Wasn’t happy skipping the workout, but felt it made sense overall.
Coach supported my decision.
Conditions: N/A
Fuel: N/A
Shoe: N/A
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min easy @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = 0.00 mi
- Splits = N/A
Thursday
Run: Mile Repeats.
This was meant to be mile repeats. But, I got caught in the terrible deluge that hit NYC.
Started out when it was cloudy, but the sky quickly became dark and the wind picked up. I continued to run along the west side highway bike path, noticing there were still many people out cycling and running.
The massive downpour and lightning hit quickly. The rain didn’t phase me that much (it’s just water), but the lightning made me jump a few times it was so close.
Eventually, I decided to call the workout quits when it was only me and one other woman left on the path.
Conditions: Torrential Rain – Lightning
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 5 min drills; 3 x 1 mi @ 6:45 (3:00 walking RI); 10 min cd
- Actual = 5.47 mi – 43:07 – 7:52 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 2.52 mi – 19:55 – 7:54 min/mi
- (1) – 6:45
- (2) – 6:52 (slowed down because I couldn’t determine my footfall in the heavy rain and with the deep puddles.)
- (cd) – .76 mi – 6:34 – 8:38 min/mi avg pace
Friday
Rest Day.
Saturday
Rest Day.
Sunday
Run: Long + Cross-train
Built my long run around the Philly RnR Half Marathon.
Had registered for this race long before I’d signed up for the Chicago Marathon. Decided to build the race into my long run – on the condition that I didn’t run any faster than my long run pace (8:30-8:40).
Got out the door an hour and a half earlier than the race start to get the extra mileage in before the run. Knew if I had to run more after the finish line, it would be hard to get moving again.
Ran approximately 6:35 miles before the race, along the river and Kelly Drive. Such a quiet, cool morning. Not many people on the bike/running path there. Kept to the gravel path to give my legs a break, when possible. And, enjoyed the solo miles while watching the fog roll off the water.
I made it to the start corral 15 minutes before the gun time. I met up with Ashley, who was in the same start corral. We decided to run together and keep the pace relaxed, easy. Was thankful for her company, as we caught up with each other while running. Stayed together for 10 miles.
After parting ways with Ashley at mile 10, I dropped pace for the last three miles. Felt great to have more than enough gas for a nice final kick. Was a great confidence booster!
Tendons in front of my legs (from ankles to shins) oddly felt sore after this run. But they felt completely fine several hours post-race.
Plan then called for 50 min of cross-training immediately after. Hightailed it from the race finish to the hotel to hop on the elliptical.
Since I wound up running 5 minutes longer than plan, I cut the cross-training down by the same amount.
Conditions: Sun – 50F
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (2 packets, pre-run) + Protein bar (post-run, pre-elliptical)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 2hr 45 min @ 8:30-8:40 pace; 50 min x-training
- Actual = 20.01 mi – 2:50:06 – 8:30 min/mi avg pace + 45 min elliptical machine
- Splits = (1) 8:22; (2) 8:13; (3) 8:26; (4) 8:23; (5) 8:23; (6) 8:30; (7) 9:02; (8) 8:40; (9) 8:45; (10) 8:56; (11) 8:44; (12) 8:42; (13) 8:49; (14) 8:45; (15) 8:53; (16) 8:56; (17) 8:03; (18) 7:58; (19) 7:50; (20) 7:35
* Miles 1-6.35 were pre-race; miles 6.35 – 20 were during the race. Official RnR half marathon time was 1:54:49 at long run pace.
Weekly Totals
- 6 hrs 41 mins
- 43.49 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Motivation: Real Life
Posted on September 13, 2013 1 Comment
Last night I tried to run my mile repeats in that horrible torrential onslaught of rain. I made it about 5.5 miles through when the bike path along the water was abandoned, and the lightning overhead was threatening enough to call it quits. Wasn’t happy about that internal debate, but I didn’t want to take the chance.
I was standing on a random Chelsea street corner in the deluge – wearing nothing more than minimal run gear – nowhere near home, thinking of how to carry on (Subway? Taxi? Keep running?).
Suddenly a guy crosses the street, smiles, gives me a high five and says, “Congratulations! You’ve made it!” Nothing more than that fleeting moment, as he kept walking.
All I could think was, “Man, you have no idea!” But, maybe he did. Stranger things have happened.
Perhaps, it was just one of those things. Maybe I took from that interaction what I needed. But, it was a NYC running and life moment that made a difference.
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Thirteen
Posted on September 8, 2013 1 Comment
Week thirteen was another higher mileage week. It also required more schedule manipulation than usual due to my personal schedule. Had to move runs to the AM, PM, and switched my interval day. Resulted in some seriously fatigued legs on Thursday. Thankfully a rest day got them ready to run long, which meant ending the week feeling well.
Monday
Run: Tempo.
Late afternoon run, after flood warnings and whatnot cleared up. Humid, but comfortable. Ran in park for some rolling hills, and felt great.
Pretty much excited to run any time I’m laced up in my Saucony Type A5!
Last two miles of tempo were on a flatter stretch of road, so explains slight dip in pace.
Conditions: Sun – 78F – felt like 78F – 79% humidity – 2mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 5 mi @ 7:10-7:15; 15 min cd
- Actual = 9.31 mi – 1:10:38 – 7:35 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 2.48 mi – 20:00 – 8:04 min/mi
- (1) – 7:09
- (2) – 7:08
- (3) – 7:11
- (4) – 7:05
- (5) – 7:04
- (cd) – 1.83 mi – 15:00 – 8:10 min/mi
Tuesday
Run: Easy.
Early AM run after yesterday’s evening tempo. Up at 5:30am to get out the door into the swampy weather.
Took this one nice and easy. Ran up to reservoir, where I did majority of the run on a soft surface to give legs a break.
Had to keep an eye on my watch to make sure I wasn’t speeding up. Overall, felt fine.
Conditions: Overcast – 72F – felt like 72F – 90% humidity – 2mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1hr 20 min @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 9.23 mi – 1:17:46 – 8:25 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:45; (2) 8:24; (3) 8:12; (4) 8:23; (5) 8:27; (6) 8:25; (7) 8:24; (8) 8:15; (9) 8:26; (1) 8:53 for .23 mi
Wednesday
Run: 800m Intervals.
Moved interval workout up a day due to personal schedule.
Late afternoon run – nice that it was less humid. Ran on west side highway.
Kept pace controlled and it actually felt comfortable. It was an effort, but got through all 8 intervals feeling good, with some energy to spare. Pretty happy with how I felt throughout.
Had to contend with a bit of headwind, no matter the direction I ran. Ah, running along the river and its fun little quirks.
Conditions: Sun – 78F – felt like 78F – 47% humidity – 9mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 5 min drills; 8x800m @ 3:20-3:30 (2:00 walking RI); 10 min cd
- Actual = 8.90 mi – 1:13:06 – 8:12 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 1.92 mi – 15:10 – 7:53 min/mi ** (Garmin interference)
- (1) – .5 mi – 3:17.47 – 6:35 min/mi
- (2) – .5 mi – 3:17.00 – 6:34 min/mi
- (3) – .5 mi – 3:17.56 – 6:35 min/mi
- (4) – .5 mi – 3:18.20 – 6:36 min/mi
- (5) – .5 mi – 3:17.48 – 6:35 min/mi
- (6) – .5 mi – 3:18.12 – 6:36 min/mi
- (7) – .5 mi – 3:16.51 – 6:33 min/mi
- (8) – .5 mi – 3:15.97 – 6:32 min/mi
- (cd) – 1.94 mi – 15:37 – 8:03 min/mi
Thursday
Run: Easy.
Pretty much knew this run would feel like junk. Had to switch intervals to yesterday, leaving me w/ the easy run today. And, not even 24 hours apart. Not ideal. Tried to give legs a break by running the bridle path/reservoir…and they were still all “F.U., Lora.”
Now I know why Coach has me rest after speedwork.
Legs were cranky, and heavy. Stopped midway to stretch, which ate into my time. Had to cut it 10 min short. But let’s be honest, I’m surprised I even squeezed 6 miles out of my legs today.
Nice foam roll session after I got home, and rest until Saturday.
Conditions: Sun – 66F – felt like 66F – 66% humidity – 7mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min easy @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = 6.04 mi – 50:38 – 8:22 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:20; (2) 8:19; (3) 8:24; (4) 8:27; (5) 8:23; (6) 8:21dual splits.
Friday
Rest Day.
Saturday
What a gorgeous morning for a run! So much happening in the park this AM – cycling race, NYRR race, people out doing long runs.
Did 7 miles solo, then met up with #GranatoRacing teammate, Tim, for 9 more. Hadn’t seen him since Eugene marathon, so catching up while running made the miles fly!
Ran majority of the run on the park loop, and 3 miles around the reservoir.
Legs felt fantastic on this run, which is a relief after they felt so crappy on Thursday. Coach originally scheduled 3 tempo miles for the end, but canned them to let my legs recover. Feeling good again!
Conditions: Sun – 60F – felt like 60 F – 45 % humidity – 5 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (2 packets)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 2hr 15 min @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 16.10 mi – 2:14:39 – 8:21 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:32; (2) 8:28; (3) 8:21; (4) 8:18; (5) 8:19; (6) 8:25; (7) 8:20; (8) 8:24; (9) 8:29; (10) 8:33; (11) 8:23; (12) 8:17; (13) 8:22; (14) 8:15; (15) 8:14; (16) 8:08; (17) 7:49 for .10 mi
Sunday
Rest Day.
Weekly Totals
- 6 hrs 46 mins
- 49.58 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Twelve
Posted on September 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
Week twelve capped off August training. This week’s running pushed me into the highest mileage month I’ve ever logged. I made it out of the city for a few days, to bid farewell to the summer in Fire Island. Was beautiful to see the beach blanketed by dark clouds (so moody, I love it). I ran the paths of the island on a drizzly morning, spotting deer grazing on the beach while it was quiet and empty. My travels this summer spanned quite the gamut of terrain – from rock formations and grassland prairies in South Dakota to the beaches of Fire Island, New York. And in the distance of each, I could see Chicago. Six weeks left to go.
Monday
Run: Tempo.
Garmin’s been acting weird for a while, out of the blue. All firmware’s been updated, still, it refuses to transfer data to Garmin Connect. Somehow, my tempo data got lost, too. Thankfully, I’d looked at the data before my cool down, so had a good idea of mileage and splits.
Ran warm-up on lower loop in park. Then headed along the west side highway. Evening run, so stuck to the bike path where it was decently lit.
Had no problem hitting the first tempo mile’s pace, but it felt a bit like, “Really? I have to do what?” By the time that first tempo mile finished, I was ready to fly and felt great.
Cut cool down short by 5 minutes.
Conditions: Cloudy – 81F – 62% humidity – 7mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 5 mi progressive tempo @ 7:25; 7:15; 7:10; 7:05; & sub-7:05; 20 min cd
- Actual = 9.29(ish) mi – 1:10:25 – 7:34 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – ?mi – 20:00
- (1) – 7:20
- (2) – 7:15
- (3) – 7:10
- (4) – 6:55
- (5) – 6:45
- (cd) – ? mi – 15:00
Tuesday
Run: Easy.
Easy evening run. For some reason anything over an hour on these easy runs seems less than easy. It’s a mental thing.
Conditions: 84F – felt like 85F – 54% humidity – 8 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Ride 5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1hr 15 min @8:20-8:35
- Actual = 8.63mi – 1:12:24 – 8:23 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:29; (2) 8:18; (3) 8:21; (4) 8:14; (5) 8:30; (6) 8:31; (7) 8:33; (8) 8:25; (9) 7:54 for .63 mi
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
Slept horribly the night before this run. And, had to run early before a trip to Fire Island. Took it very easy until my legs and brain were ready to cooperate. First two miles felt like I was running half asleep (probably was). By mile three, I felt like myself.
Conditions: Sun – 77F – feels like 77F – 74% humidity – 4 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min easy @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = 7.02 mi – 58:58 – 8:23 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:44; (2) 8:31; (3) 8:24; (4) 8:21; (5) 8:07; (6) 8:17; (7) 8:19
Thursday
Run: Easy.
Scheduled called for 8x800m. I mapped a route in Fire Island that matched the distance I needed. Knew it would be flat. But forgot it would be sand-dusted concrete sidewalks. Decided to switch the workout to an easy run at the end of my warm-up (15 mins).
The concrete bothered my legs and I could feel it in my feet, knees and shins. The sand also made for poor traction. Intervals would have to wait. Didn’t want to risk hurting myself.
Kept pace easy and ran five miles instead.
Conditions: Cloudy/Rain
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 15 min wu; 5 min drills; 8x800m @ 3:20 (2:00 walking RI); 10 min cd
- Actual = 5 mi – 41:30 – 8:18 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = n/a – was all recorded as a warmup lap, so no individual splits.
Friday
Rest Day.
Saturday
Three consecutive nights of fantastic sleep (9+ hours) and rested legs (ran easy i/o 800s on Thu) meant my legs were ready for this run.
Got a late start (10:45 AM). It was hot and humid, but nothing I haven’t dealt with before.
Ran first 8.5 miles on the Central Park hills, and the rest along the West Side Highway. Sped up in miles 11 and 12 because I was late to meet a friend for the final miles. Finished the run in good company.
Conditions: Cloudy/Sun – 80F – felt like 84F – 67% humidity – 7mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (2 packets)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 2hr 30 min @ 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 18.25 mi – 2:29:45 – 8:12 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:15; (2) 8:15; (3) 8:19; (4) 8:19; (5) 8:15; (6) 8:20; (7) 8:14; (8) 8:11; (9) 806; (10) 8:12; (11) 8:01; (12) 8:01; (13) 8:13; (14) 8:13; (15) 8:10; (16) 8:15; (17) 8:21; (18) 7:57; (19) 7:54 (for .25 mi)
Sunday
Rest Day.
Weekly Totals
- 6 hrs 33 mins
- 48.19 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Monthly Mileage: August 2013
Posted on September 1, 2013 3 Comments
That’s a PR in monthly mileage! Compared to July 2013: 150.39 miles.
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Eleven
Posted on August 24, 2013 2 Comments
Week eleven was challenging, in a good way. Paces are dropping, and I can feel myself comfortably pushing to meet them. The temperature crept back up mid-week, feeling more like August than it had before. That required some readjustment. Thankfully, the humidity and temperature dropped in time for my long run, which felt incredible. Amazing what some cool, dry air will do to rev up the legs and lungs. Overall, finishing this training week feeling good.
Monday
Run: Easy.
Since last week’s long run was Sunday, today was an easy one. Legs felt fine.
Conditions: Cloudy – 77F
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Nike LunaRacer 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1 hr @ 8:20 – 8:35 pace
- Actual = 7.07 mi – 1:00 – 8:29 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:35; (2) 8:34; (3) 8:31; (4) 8:26; (5) 8:29; (6) 8:18; (7) 8:38
Tuesday
Run: Tempo.
Was a rough morning, so this evening run saved the day. Nice negative split tempo miles. Felt fantastic.
Making the run even better: seeing Jess in the park!
Conditions: Sun – 82F – felt like 83F – 49% humidity – 6 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 3 mi @ 7:15-7:25; 20 min cd
- Actual = 7.8 mi – 1:00:41 – 7:46 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 2.45 mi – 20:00 – 8:10 min/mi
- (1) – 7:10
- (2) – 7:06
- (3) – 7:04
- (cd) – 2.35 mi – 19:20 – 8:13 min/mi
Wednesday
Run: Easy.
Body felt “good” in that nothing hurt and my legs were fine. But, what a slog running in 90F after several temperate weeks and cool mornings in the Badlands. It’s like re-adjusting to summer all over again.
Opted to run on the West Side Highway for a flat route. Bad decision, as there was barely any shade along the Hudson. Sweaty and more sweaty, basically.
Didn’t have enough time to fit all 1hr 15 mins in. Cut it short by 5 minutes. Probably due to me lingering at a water fountain, trying to determine it it was real or a mirage.
Conditions: Sun – 90F
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1hr 15 min easy @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = 8.54 mi – 1:10:19 – 8:14 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:17; (2) 7:42; (3) 8:07; (4) 8:02; (5) 8:27; (6) 8:16; (7) 8:05; (8) 8:30; (9) 8:59 for .54 mi
Thursday
Run: 400m Repeats.
Was excited to Repeat in the rain. Wouldn’t you know it, as soon as my warm-up ended, so did the rain.
Overall, run felt good. Ran the stretch near Engineer’s Gate. Spaced out a bit during Interval #5. Oops. Then passed Kevin Bacon running during my cool down. I should’ve asked: “Wanna race?”
Conditions: Cloudy/Rain/Sun – 72F – feels like 72F – 74% humidity – 7mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Type A5
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 5 min drills; 7 x 400m@1:35-1:40 (1:30 walking RI); 20 min cd
- Actual = 7.34 mi – 1:02:36 – 8:31 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 2.39 mi – 20:03 – 8:24 min/mi
- (1) .25 mi – 1:33.28 – 6:13 min/mi
- (2) .25 mi – 1:34.50 – 6:18 min/mi
- (3) .25 mi – 1:32.40 – 6:09 min/mi
- (4) .25 mi – 1:32.11 – 6:08 min/mi
- (5) .25 mi – 1:34.18 – 6:17 min/mi
- (6) .25 mi – 1:32.29 – 6:09 min/mi
- (7) .25 mi – 1:31.95 – 6:08 min/mi
- (cd) – 2.61 mi – 21:12 – 8:06 min/mi
Friday
Rest Day.
Saturday
What a gorgeous morning for a run!
Cutback week, so today’s run was only 1hr 45 min – 2hr, with the last two miles at tempo pace.
Felt great and settled into pace. Did approximately half the run in Central Park on the hills, and the rest along the flat West Side Highway.
Loved running into Ali in the park, and Missy along the highway!
Last two miles flew. Knew I’d feel okay while dropping pace, but definitely had to contend with headwind. Last mile, let my legs fly and it felt AMAZING.
Had a little time left after the tempo, so used it as a cool down to make it home and reach 2 hours.
Conditions: Sun – 65F – felt like 62F – 54% humidity – 8 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 1:45:00-2:00:00 @ 8:20-8:35 pace, with last 2mi @ 7:15-7:25 pace.
- Actual = 14.67 mi – 1:59:31 – 8:08 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:28; (2) 8:22; (3) 8:20; (4) 8:17; (5) 8:20; (6) 8:21; (7) 8:12; (8) 8:17; (9) 8:11; (10) 8:07; (11) 8:16; (12) 8:10; (13) 7:03; (14) 6:55; (15) 9:06 for .67 mi
Sunday
Rest Day.
Weekly Totals
- 6 hrs 13 mins
- 45.42 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
Chicago Marathon Training: Week Ten
Posted on August 19, 2013 2 Comments
Week ten was great fun training while on vacation (finally) in Badlands National Park, SD (love)! Just check out the photos from my runs!
Monday
Run: Tempo.
First training run in Badlands National Park, SD. Tempo run at 5:00 PM started off hot (but relatively dry), then a nice cloud cover came in.
Thought the hardest thing would be running at this altitude (~ 2300 ft v 33 ft NYC), but didn’t really notice it at all. Bigger challenge was contending with headwind coming off the Great Plains! That’s no joke.
Ran along beautiful stretch of flat highway (RT 377) – with Badlands formations on one side and prairie on the other – into the town of Interior (population: 67). Looped around Interior and back to the park.
PS – not a single other runner spotted; about 1 car passed every 10 minutes or so. Talk about change of pace from NYC.
Conditions: Sun/Clouds – 81F – felt like 82F – 54% humidity – 8 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 4 mi @ 7:30-7:20; 10 min cd
- Actual = 7.7 mi – 59:00 – 7:39 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) 2.5 mi – 20:00 – 8:00 min/mi avg pace (think slightly downhill and tail wind)
- (1) 7:18
- (2) 7:20
- (3) 7:15
- (4) 7:15
- (cd) 1.2 mi – 10:00 – 8:10 min/mi avg pace
Tuesday
Run: N/A
Schedule called for one-hour easy. However, a severe storm warning quickly blew in over the Badlands. I don’t typically shy away from running in inclement weather. But, unfamiliar territory and firm Park Ranger warnings made me decide to skip the run.
It took a matter of minutes for the sky to go dark, the temperature to drop by at least 10 degrees, and the rain to hit. Looked like this:
Conditions: Dark & Stormy
Fuel: N/A
Shoe: N/A
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60 min @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = N/A
Wednesday
Double workout day: Run + Hike
Run: Easy.
Took this easy run up a hilly route that eventually leveled off to breathtaking views!
Ran on two easy trails (Window Trail & Door Trail), plus along Scenic RT 240. Mile 6 was a huge downhill with narrow shoulder, so had to frequently step off-road and pause for oncoming cars. Hence, dip in pace.
The cool temps were also fantastic!
Conditions: Sun – 63F – felt like 63F – 94% humidity – 4 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 60min easy @ 8:20-8:35
- Actual = 7.25 mi – 1:00 – 8:16 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:29; (2)7:58; (3) 8:08; (4) 8:02; (5) 8:18; (6) 8:49; (7) 8:15
Hike: Notch Trail
Hiked along Notch Trail. Then proceeded to go off-trail and climb up some rocky drainage ravines to a nice view.
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Actual:
- Actual = 1.64 mi – 2:40:55 (fossil hunting).
Thursday
Run: Mile Repeats.
Started later than planned because of fog. Ran RT 377 again under a grey sky. Again, appreciated the cool temperature!
Was thankful for the 2:00 rest intervals between repeats. Finally felt the air sucked out of me – altitude meets humidity. Also cut cool down short by a few minutes.
Conditions: Cloudy – 63F – felt like 63F – 83% humidity – 10 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Chocolate UCAN (1 packet)
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 3
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 20 min wu; 2 x 1mi @ 6:45-6:50 (2 min walking RI); 20 min cd
- Actual = 6.53mi – 52:29 – 8:02 min/mi avg pace
- Splits =
- (wu) – 2.43 mi – 20:01 – 8:14 min/mi
- (1) – 6:43
- (2) – 6:39
- (cd) – 1.86 mi – 15:05 – 8:05 min/mi
Friday
Rest Day.
This scheduled rest day was meant to be my travel day back to NYC. Cue a delayed flight due to thick fog. Flight was eventually canceled due to mechanical problems. How about that. Later, a failed standby attempt meant I was stuck in the outskirts of Rapid City, SD overnight.
Exhausting.
Saturday
Had intended to be home in time to run long. But, that travel snafu meant flying home Saturday. A delayed flight (at 6:20 AM due to crew arriving late) meant a missed connection in Denver. Finally caught later flight home. 30+ hours after leaving for the airport on Friday, I made it home.
More exhausting.
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 2hr 30 min at 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = N/A
Sunday
Run: Long.
Maybe it was sheer joy of not being stuck in an airport or on an airplane that fed this run.
After two days of trying to return to NYC, expected this to feel like a depleted slog.
Instead, it felt AWESOME. Just pure awesome.
The Badlands hills made the CP ones feel like little sidewalk ramps. Did 8+ miles in Central Park, then down along the Hudson and back up to the park. Pace felt comfortable, and finished feeling like I could’ve done several more miles easily.
Conditions: Cloudy – 70F – felt like 70F – 73% humidity – 3 mph wind
Fuel: Protein-enhanced Vanilla UCAN (2 packets), mixed with almond milk and almond butter.
Shoe: Saucony Kinvara 4
Plan v Actual:
- Plan = 2hr 30 min at 8:20-8:35 pace
- Actual = 18.00 mi – 2:29:25 – 8:18 min/mi avg pace
- Splits = (1) 8:24; (2) 8:21; (3) 8:26; (4) 8:22; (5) 8:15; (6) 8:16; (7) 8:25; (8) 8:22; (9) 8:15; (10) 8:19; (11) 8:18; (12) 8:12; (13) 8:18; (14) 8:11; (15) 8:12; (16) 8:12; (17) 8:14; (18) 8:23
Weekly Totals
- 8 hrs 01 mins (Includes hike; Running = 5 hrs 20 min)
- 39.48 miles running
See all weekly workout recaps here.
LV runs NYC 