In it for the long haul

Clad in spandex and armed only with $20, a Metro card, iPod, and an energy gel, I ventured out into the quiet pre-dawn New York streets to take on the 20 mile run, the heart of marathon training. It's been a long time since I've felt this nervous about a race or run, but the 20 miler is an entirely different physical and, more importantly, mental beast than your typical long run. This is the farthest distance that most recreational marathoners will run before the actual race, and in some ways is even more difficult than a marathon as you lack the crowd support and adrenaline to spur you onwards. However, I'm very happy to report that my run went fantastic and has left me feeling much more confident in my ability to cross the finish line on October 31.

Unlike my usual waterfront runs, this morning I spent half of my route trotting up Lexington and Park Avenues and through Central Park. Streets that are normally crammed with tourists and hustling New Yorkers were eerily quiet at 5am; it was almost as though I was alone in the city. As I climbed up a hilly section of Park Avenue, I watched the sun rise above the UES - absolutely beautiful and about as close as I've ever come to a spiritual experience. Today's run reminded me why I love the sport so much; running offers you the chance to really appreciate the sacred in the profane and get intimately acquainted with your home turf. The miles literally just melted away as I was too preoccupied in admiring Grand Central sans tourists, taking in the Met's architecture, or chasing pigeons across the trail.

Alright enough romanticizing, as soon as my runner's high wears off I will not be reminiscing so poetically about this morning. Here are a few of my useful takeaways from today's run:

1. Plan ahead. There's a reason distance running appeals to so many Type A, OCD individuals... Running for hours on end requires a strategy! And organization! YAY. Preparation is critical for a successful 20 miler. Map your route ahead of time, lay out your clothes and gear the night before, think about the timing of fuel intake, etc. If you take care of these tasks before you hit the road, you'll free yourself up to focus on quality running!
   
   
2. Experiment. One of the cardinal rules of marathons is DON'T TRY ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY. The last thing you want to do at the marathon is mess around with new shoes, food, pacing, etc. So take advantage of your weekly long runs to experiment with everything from your morning pre-run routine to the best blister-preventing socks.
   
   After a lot of trial and error, I think I've finally found a solid food/hydration plan for my long runs. While most energy gels make my stomach upset (and taste ridiculously gross), slowly eating a Clif Shot over the course of a mile or two is gentle enough for me to handle and provides a good supply of simple carbohydrates to keep my legs going after I burn through my breakfast. I follow up the gel with a huge Gatorade courtesy of the nearest bodega, which I'll nurse for the second half of the run. Remember - if you're running for longer than 75 minutes, always start consuming calories after the first 30-60 minutes. You'll set yourself up for a bonked run if you wait till your legs are already dead. Not even a Gatorade mainline will save you then.
   
   
3. Refuel. Most runners are pretty good about carbing up before a long run or race, but it's equally important to replenish your body's depleted glycogen stores within 15-60 minutes post-run. Look for drinks (or make your own!) with a good mix of protein and carbohydrates. Doing so will drastically cut down on fatigue over the next 24 hours and help rebuild muscle fibers. My personal fave is a big glass of chocolate milk, which studies have shown is actually one of the best recovery drinks. Yum! Runner's World also has some great tips for general post-run recovery that I definitely recommend checking out.
   
   
   
   
4. Restraint. One of the most common mistakes among first-time marathoners is running too fast during their long run. Long runs should be taken a minute or so slower than your planned marathon pace, or 1 1/2 - 2 minutes slower than your best 10K time. Running slowly minimizes your chances of injury (obviously a valid concern when running crazy length distances), and is an opportunity to get your body accustomed to moving for 3+ straight hours, a benefit that cannot be overestimated on race day. Save your sprinting flats and rage runs for tempo/track work days - there it's totally acceptable!

Happy running this weekend, y'all!

Summer in the city

Annnnnd I'm back. After a month long sabbatical from "Couch to Comrades," steel yourself for weekly blog spam. The radio silence doesn't indicate a lack of running, I promise. Last weekend Kim and I ran the NYRR Brooklyn Half Marathon (recap to come in a second!) and I've been plugging around 30 miles a week for the past month in preparation for the start of marathon training in July. But to be honest, my ongoing premature quarter-life crisis has left me with little motivation to write about the same old, same old runs.

As most recent graduates will admit, this time in our lives is an exciting, promising, debaucherous chapter but still quite full of uncertainty. Friends move in and out of your life, apartments change seemingly every month, and five year plans rarely pan out as we envisioned. And for the first time, we're left without an obvious next goal to work towards. High school and college rolled by in a blur of standardized exams, college applications, club elections, job hunts, and theses, but now the next step is less clear and pursuing our true passions can often feel difficult, if not downright impossible.

Amidst this continual change, running serves as a much needed constant for me - not just a daily challenge but also a way to connect with friends no matter how much distance time puts between us. This fall, Christine, Mike, Tom, Kim, Greg, and I will be running marathons across the country, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be on the sidelines at every race cheering them on. As I've mentioned before, what better excuse for a reunion than a life-changing race!

Last Saturday, the Brooklyn Half reminded me why I adore running and why I've committed to running the Marine Corps Marathon this fall and Comrades next year. The conditions were perfect for a long race, the crowd support throughout the course was inspiring, and running with one of your closest friends makes the miles fly by. After a month of less than inspiring 6 mile runs, the half marathon was definitely the perfect antidote to my stuck-in-a-rut blues. Also amazing was seeing Maddie, who was visiting her friend Anna (who totally rocked the half) for the weekend! After the race finished, we all met up to grab some post-run carbs courtesy of Dunkin' Donuts (no way we could stomach Nathan's hot dogs), and sat around on the Coney Island boardwalk noshing and catching up. Always wonderful to see old friends and compare running war stories. With two marathons already under her belt, Maddie's definitely an old hand at this long distance running thing and has been a bit of a running inspiration for me :)

Upcoming races: Before listing my running ambitions for the summer, I shall caveat to hell that I am not built for hot, humid weather. It doesn't matter that I've lived on the swampy East Coast for the majority of my life; I've never acclimated. So forewarning that there may be a few too many whiny posts about horrendous racing conditions and skipped long runs. Yes, I am a wimp. The Wall Street 3M on June 24 is up next, followed by NYRR Splash n'Dash 10K in the beginning of July. Kim will be headed up to the city later in the summer for some lovely training runs and the Bronx Half Marathon. Call me crazy but I'm actually looking forward to 15+ mile runs every weekend!

First Time Jitters

Munn is an old-hat when it comes to races. She's already done the venerable 4 milers, probably a few 10 milers, and vanquished the half marathon. I, on the other hand, will be ending my 25 year embargo on public running tomorrow, for the first time. And the thought of it has me on edge. Anyone with a funny run will understand.

Tomorrow, with the Haiti Benefit 4 miler, we're going to be raising a ton of money for an absolutely deserving cause, but that doesn't mean that it's not going to be a shocking time for me. Or so my mind keeps telling me.

These days, I eat 4 miles for breakfast...on a treadmill, or even on the West Side Highway. I've run up to 10 miles in one go, and our race on Sunday is a 10 miler. So it seems completely irrational that the thought of running those four short miles bright and early tomorrow morning has literally given me a knot in my stomach. It's a knot of fear, not of excitement; of shaking and lightheadedness; of wanting to hide under the covers in bed with a torch; of not wanting to eat for days; a knot of sheer, unadulterated, wantingtothowupedness. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was in love.

Well, they say that you never forget your first time, and more importantly, that it's almost invariably terrible. I for one will be hoping that my first time is short, quick and uneventful. Oh, and that I finish.

Motivation FAIL

I do not want to go running today. There, I've said it. Most days I anxiously watch the clock for 5 or 6pm to roll around, then bound downstairs to the gym, eager to conquer new distances and shatter PBs. Or at the very least take a much needed break from my cubicle. Not today. Maybe it's simply exhaustion or the 19 miles I've run in the past 3 days or, quite honestly, the bottles of wine the girls and I killed last night. Whatever the cause, no amount of DC (Diet Coke for non-addicts) or coffee can shake my lethargy.

So what's a tired runner to do? My deeply ingrained Catholic guilt won't allow me to happily skip a day of training, so I could force myself to slog through today's scheduled 6 mile run. However, the last thing I want is to turn running into an odious chore, just another to-do on my endless stickie lists. Separation makes the heart grow fonder right? Well at the very least it'll give my tired legs a rest.

So I think I will grudgingly take the day off. Instead of hitting the treadmill, I'll leave the office a little early (!!), perhaps indulge in retail therapy, make these tasty looking granola bars, and bake some IRISH CAR BOMB CUPCAKES for Sunday's Super Bowl party. Surprisingly there are other activities that can be just as unwinding as running.

On a parting note, for those interested in the science of fitness and speed, the New York Times had a very good article on peak performance and weight loss yesterday. For runners, the general rule of thumb is that for every 1% decrease in body weight, you can expect a 1% decrease in time. While I may not run to lose weight, the lure of dropping my race times is very tempting. However, the article is quick to point out that losing pounds past one's ideal weight can be equally detrimental to performance as carrying an extra few. So don't worry, Emi, there will be no intentional return to the Lau coffee diet!