6 days 'til Race time: Marathon Playlist

(um, I'm sorry to announce I will not be running with a mullet or in a 1/2 necked-thong, though I hope to see something like this along the route)

I'm getting organized: clothes laid out, got my gels, recovery drink/snacks bought, but where is my frickin' Garmin? Ugh!

My emergency 5 song playlist has been made. This may be odd, but I don't listen to music when I run. However, in case of emergency, I am taking my teeny ipod with me in the event that miles 22 to 26.2 just about kill me. I take it a good sign that I'm, thankfully, feeling confident about miles 1-21 today.

Here's my 5 emergency Get-Me-to-the-Finish-Line songs:

Beautiful Day - U2
Oh Happy Day - The Edwin Hawkins Singers
Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire
Victory is Mine - Sounds of Blackness
Where the Streets Have No Name - U2

And between songs are the lovely messages I've received from friends at 347-575-1667 (THANK YOU! & CALL ME if you want!)

6 days until race day. Getting really excited!

Running in October Snow

Thanks to a friend who downsized her treadmill my way, this is how I ran in today's ThunderSnow Storm (What the heck, a snow storm with thunder for Halloween?!)

I.AM.NOT.READY.FOR.WINTER. NO.M'AM,I.AM.NOT.

But hey, I'll take a snow storm today and not next Sunday. Praying for clear skies on Marathon Day. One week to go...

PS: CALL ME! Call me at 352-575-1667 if you'd like to leave me a fun, encouraging message that I'll download and listen to on marathon day when my energy is lagging. I'd really appreciate it! No one runs a marathon alone!

20 miles with Coach Genna + Call Me!

A few weeks back we ran our 2nd 20 mile run. Team for Kids ran the 20 through the city streets of NY and over 3 bridges (Brooklyn (not on the marathon route), Pulaski (1/2 way point on the marathon route) and the 59th St (the toughest of the race). I really wanted to run the 20 with the team, but was worried about some sore ligaments on my right knee. One of my coaches pressed me to not run on the roads, but to say on the dirt, so I took her advice.

I reached out to Coach Genna, an elite runner and friend in the local Ethiopian running community. He agree to run my 20 miler with me in Van Cortland Park, in the Bronx. I was so thankful! Because, really, I could not have run 20 miles ALONE. Are you kidding me? I would have dropped out at about 10. It gets a little boring and the accountability is key for me.

So we met in the wee-morning hours and took off through the woods. Van Cortland Park is where there are many cross country races held...it's very wooded and hilly. Let's just say my first 6 miles with Genna felt like a mud run. We were leaping over branches and what I like to call Mud-pits and dodging round apple-like things on the ground and the whole time I was praying not to turn an ankle. We were also going fast. It was like a tempo run for me (where you run 30 secs to a minute faster than normal for speed training). I knew I wouldn't be able to keep pace for 20 miles, but I thought I'd try. Basically, a little crazy for a long run for someone like me.

By the time we reached Yonkers, NY (what?! We're not in New York City anymore???) I was pooping out. I had to walk way more than I ever have before and I felt a little bad about it. But I tried see it as interval training which is a good thing. Genna was encouraging. He said even if I walked 20 miles I'd do way better on marathon day than those who never got in their long runs. In fact, Genna seemed to think I could run in under 4 hours. I was like, "Whoa, Genna...you.are.crazy."

Well, we'll see on Nov. 6th! At this point I'm just praying it's not snowing as we've got snow in our forecast for this weekend (NYC hasn't had Halloween snow since the 1950's!).

By the way, CALL ME! Call me at 352-575-1667 if you'd like to leave me a fun, encouraging message that I'll download and listen to on marathon day when my energy is lagging. I'd really appreciate it! No one runs a marathon alone!

Thank you friends and thank you again Genna. If anyone is looking for an awesome running coach in the NYC area, let me know and I'll put you in touch with Genna! He's the best.

OMG :: The Hills! HelpmeBabyJesus...

If you want to get a sense of what 26.2 miles through the 5 boroughs of New York is really like, read Bob Glover's strategy for race day. Everyone says NYC has way more hills than you might imagine. I guess I'm going to find out...thank goodness for all that TFK hill training in Central Park! Really hoping it pays off!

Road ID :: A Coupon for You!

Some of my TFK teammates have these Road ID bracelets in case of emergency. They list your allergies/medical hx/emergency contacts. They're inexpensive (about $20) and could prove to be priceless. I've had one made for myself. You should too. Your mom will thank you.

Because I ordered one, I have a coupon to share with you. It's good for the first 20 uses in the next month. Here it is: Coupon Number: ThanksLaura9193064

Now, let's go running!

Inspiring Runner of the Week

This week's inspiring runner is Jennifer. You may remember I did some running with Jennifer back here and here. I hear Jen's voice in my head sometimes, exactly when I need to. When we ran the Mini 10K through Central Park (which is a tough 10K course) Jen attacked the hills not only with physical force but with mental and verbal command...she'd shout out, "We got this!" That has stayed with me through my marathon training, as has Jen's one time question to me, "So what do you tell yourself for motivation?" It's great to have a friend who values the benefits of positive cognition and reminds me, the LCSW, to value it too! :)

I had a few questions for her and here's what Jen had to say...

At what age did you start running and what motivated you to get involved in the sport?

Not long after I learned to walk! I started dancing at the age of four and played tennis and softball growing up. Running has always been for the sake of conditioning and socializing and that is still true today. One of my goals is to spend more time doing physical activities than sitting down over meals with friends. Being conversant at a 9-10 minute pace around the 6 mile loop at Central Park motivates me today.

How has running changed your life?
Well, I get more refined cat calls from business men in midtown that sound like this, "Hey lady in stripes, great calves!" Not kidding! I'll take that. Seriously though, completing something that is good for me makes me feel really good about myself. Running improves my confidence and my shape.

What do you get out of running? Why do it?

I get one thing I know I can achieve every day. I did not realize I did this until recently, but every time I have signed up for a race I am going through some transition either at work, relationships or a big move. My first race was the 10 mile Cherry Blossom in Washington, DC in 2005...1 month after the race I left my job and 3 months later I moved across country. Even with 5Ks and and other events, my "knower" seeks out something concrete to accomplish that also allows me to manage stress.

What is your favorite race (distance) and what is your best Personal Record (PR)/ fastest time?

So far I have mostly done 5Ks and the 3 Day walk for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the 10 mile Cherry Blossom Run. My hope is that after completing my first 10K at Central Park on Saturday that this distance will become my standard run and that I will improve it in multiple ways over time. Completing this race at a 10 minute pace will be a great achievement.

Where is your favorite place to train?

Central Park for distance

A treadmill near me for intervals

What is your proudest running moment? Do you have a favorite or most meaningful running experience (a race or a day when you pushed further than you thought you could go?)

When I crossed the finish line for the Cherry Blossom ten mile run at exactly 1 hour and 49 minutes. Considering that was my first run and we did it on a windy rainy day in DC, I felt really proud! The most challenging part of that race was the wind. I will never forget running across the Memorial Bridge towards the Arlington Cemetery bent almost to the point that my upper body was perpendicular to the road because we had to push forward into such abrasive winds. Of course, I think we made up our timing when we had to run back across.

Do you have a favorite song on your ipod to run to? Or if you don't listen to music, what do you think about when you run?

I always listen to music when I run, unless I'm with someone. I probably add one or two new songs a week from iTunes to my exercise play list so it changes a lot. The ones I'm listening to this week include Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" and the Pointer Sister's "Jump". :)

What do you find most difficult about running and how do you overcome this difficulty?

I find the first mile difficult...it's finding that stride, warming up and setting myself into the zone that can be the most frustrating and mentally challenging. I overcome it by playing the most uplifting song possible, telling myself that the first part is the hardest part and the rest is cake, some kind of mental switch that helps me resolve that "this is nothing" is what works best.


Who is your favorite running hero?

Lindsay Parrish. She's one of my best friends. The woman can get up and run in a 10K in her pajamas with her eyes closed. She inspired me to run when I came up to NYC from DC with her several years ago for her first time in the NYC Marathon. We ran around the city with posters that said, "Lindsay Rocks!" I loved the inspiration of the runners and the community of people supporting them. I have to thank her for introducing me to this really.

Can you offer me any advice on how I can best train to get to the 2011 NYC marathon finish line?

I'd suggest integrating 1-2 Yoga classes a week to stay both flexible and mindful to your body. It's easy to let the business of life and the more aggressive training to take priority. It's important to get in all the stretching and the practices that keep you in tune with your body and what it is saying back to you.

What's your best advice for fighting negative thinking when faced with a challenge like running 26. 2 miles?

What I keep learning about "fighting negative thinking" is that if your energy is on resisting the negative thought or spending time trying to "unwind it" you just give it more fuel. I don't know if you ever eliminate a negative thought but you can deflate it's power. The only way that works for me is to replace it with another thought, belief or expectation that counters it and then state it out loud WITH EMOTION until I actually believe it.

So, if the negative though were, "I can do 13 miles but mile 14 or mile 22 is going to kill me." Then I would start telling myself while running, or just walking around the house, "When I hit mile 14 I will be accomplishing something I've never done before. This is easy for me and it doesn't surprise me at all that this is passing so quickly!" Whether the thought is about the race itself, self-confidence or comparing yourself to other runners, the biggest key is owning what is keeping you back and then deciding (over and over again) to declare the positive belief that you really want to invest your good energy and time into.

Anything else you want to say about running?

Well, I'm not the only one with good legs. Get your shoes on, go to the park and enjoy the view(s)! :)

Thank you, Jen! I appreciate your motivation, have enjoyed watching you go after the changes you wanted to see in your life and I cherish having run the Women's Mini with you! Let's do it again. Btw, Jen is a certified health coach...you can check out her website here.

5th Avenue Mile

A few weeks back I ran the 5th Avenue mile. I don't think I'd run "the mile" since middle school PE class, so I wanted to test myself. Before marathon training I knew in most races longer than 4 miles I ran about 9:45/mile. But I really had no idea how fast I could run just 1 mile if I pushed myself.


This is special road race, in that 5th Avenue from the Metropolitan Museum south to 59th Street/The Plaza Hotel is closed off. There are various heats based on age. I was in the 30-39 year old heat. Next year I'll be with the 40 year olds (!yikes!). Prior to my heat I did some warming up in front of the Met. Oh! I love NY!



It was exciting to watch each heat line up and to see the truck with the official race clock lead the runners. When it was my turn I definitely ran faster than normal, but I knew that I had to still pace myself, because a mile is not that short of a distance in reality! I tried to be present, as I always do when running races in NY...aware of my body, breath, thoughts but also aware of my surroundings: running past wealthy 5th Ave apartment buildings on my left and Central Park on my right.


In the end I was actually surprised. Most of you won't be impressed by this, but my time was 7:47 with an age graded time 7:26 (isn't it nice that they'll factor in old age!). Granted I was sucking wind when I crossed the finish line, but for a first test of my mile time, I was pleased. After the marathon, I am going to focus on speed training. I may make it a winter goal to see if I can improve my mile time. In the photo above, I'm hanging out with Konjit's Godfather Yonas (who also ran that day) and our friend Firehiwot, who is a faithful runner...I always run into her training in the park or at races. In fact, Firehiwot has been so kind to me, jumping in with me during training runs in the park to pace me. She's a great coach.

The 5th Ave mile was really fun. Great to see the different heats (my 72 year old TFK coach won his heat), especially the elite runners and the inspiring young-at-heart folks in their 80's and even 90's running that day. I hope that is me in the future!

Less then 2 weeks...THANK YOU again!

OMG! Less than 2 weeks until Marathon Day! I am excited and nervous and LOVING taper-time!!

A huge, heartfelt thanks to all of my donors for helping me raise over $3000 for Team for Kids!!! This is just phenomenal and I was so nervous about the fundraising. I am humbled to know I have some very loving friends, acquaintances and anonymous donors out there. Thank you again.

I'm behind in my blog posts, so very soon I'll catch you up on the 5th Ave mile, my 2nd 20 mile training run and last weekend's 12 miler which included the last 10 miles of the marathon course.

It's beautiful running weather here in NYC. Sunny days and perfect temps. Hoping it holds for Nov. 6th!

29 days 'til the NYC Marathon

(me running Greta's Gallop, last weekend's 1/2 marathon in Central Park...where I PRed, running 12 minutes faster than I did in the Brooklyn 1/2 back in May!)


Happy Jewish New Year! We have today off b/c of the holiday but will be running 17 miles in the park tomorrow. I am a bit tired of running in the park (and a bit tired in general), but it's our last long run on the bridle path, so I'm trying to keep it all in perspective. Central Park has become my home through all this. I know many nooks and crannies I didn't know before, and have seen many a beautiful sunset. The skyline looks so awesome in so many different kinds of light...full sun, dusk, night time. It's getting so dark so much earlier now and the weather is cooling. I know I will look back on my many miles in the park with such fondness when I am old and no longer a New Yorker. I am so grateful for this opportunity, even though I times I have probably not lived up to what I've been expected to do (have suffered a bit of burnout in the last couple weeks). Regardless, feeling pretty good about where I am at this point and have to say, really, I think anyone can run a marathon--or I guess I should say 20 miles, since that's the farthest I've gone so far. Just treat it like a part-time job, take care of yourself and 20 miles is yours for the owning.

Oh Yeah!!!

THANK YOU donors!!! My Team for Kids fundraising agreement has now been met. I not only raised the requisite $2620, but I EXCEEDED that amount, raising $3083.62!!!!!!

Breaking the $3000 mark not only gives me 4 free tickets to the finish line on November 6 (my family thanks you!), but allows 61.6 underserved NYC school kids the opportunity to participate in Team for Kids running programs...these kids attend schools where there are no PE programs. They get little to no exercise. But because of you guys more than SIXTY-ONE kids will get to experience the fulfillment of running with TFK for one whole year. What a life changing year it will be for those kids!!!

I was so scared about fundraising...I was sure because I am self employed and have no coworkers that I would never be able to raise $2620. But, wow---and I owe it to Facebook---I did. Thank you friends, friends of friends, anonymous donors and family. What an awesome feeling it is to know that 61 kids will get to do something because of us. Let's imagine ourselves in a room surrounded by 61 kids. That's a lot of kids!!!!

Thank you again!