the middle miles

A while ago, I posted about the early miles.  On my long run this past weekend, I spent some time thinking about the middle miles of a run/race.  You're warmed up, your breathing is regulated, your legs are just going through the motions.  You're not thinking about your pace anymore.  You're not thinking about whether or not you wore the right clothing - it is what it is at this point.  I usually begin to feel this way between miles 5-7 on a really long run like this past weekend or a marathon.

I start thinking about other things going on in my life.  If I'm alone, it's typically my prayer time, when I talk to God about my feelings, my friends, things that are weighing on my heart.  I get into such a rhythm that I don't have to think anymore about what I'm doing and, if I'm on a route that I do often, where I'm going.  It's comfortable, it's easy, it's awesome.  When I'm with a running buddy, this is when we have our best conversation.  Neither of us are thinking about what came before in the early miles or what is to come in the late miles (more on that in a later post).

The middle miles are all about enjoying the here and now.  It feels good.  You've gotten past the hard part, but the toughest part is yet to come.  For now, just relax, take it easy, enjoy the scenery, and keep running.

this saturday

Readers!  My friend Bonnie is the co-founder and director of Route One Ministries.  Here's a brief synopsis of what they do:

Mission

The vision of Route One is to minister to women exploited by the sex industry on the North Shore and the greater Boston area.

Through building relationships with the women, we hope to be the light of Christ and provide for physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Providing for their physical and emotional needs might include helping them leave the sex industry and securing employment. Further our goal is that they have the tools to establish a healthy lifestyle, redeem broken relationships and have a fuller view of who they are as women created in the image of God.

Ultimately our desire is that the women would experience the breaking of chains and healing of wounds through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Essentially, they love people.  They show women Christ's love with no strings attached and pray for them to be released from the bondage that this industry holds over them.  It is said more eloquently in the mission statement above than I could ever say it.  But this is something that I fully believe in and fully support.  

How do I support it?  Good question.  What does this have to do with running?  Even better question.  This Saturday, Route One Ministries is hosting it's 2nd Annual Freedom 5K Fun Run and Walk!!!!  And guess who is welcome to come?  EVERYONE!!!  If you're a runner, a jogger, a wogger (jog+walk), a walker, a waddler, a mos-ier, no matter how you get from one spot to another (save for on wheels), you are invited to come.

Here are the details:  

When - Saturday, Sept 30th at 10am (come by 9:30am to get registered)

Where - First United Methodist Church in South Hamilton, 391 Bay Rd.

What - a 5K run/walk (duh...) but there's more!  A cash raffle will take place, there will be lots of food, and prizes for the top male and female.

For more information and a registration form, email Bonnie at routeoneministry@gmail.com.

And if that doesn't entice you...check out how much fun we all had at last year's inaugural race.

18

On Saturday, I ran farther than I have since April 16th.  While that is only five months ago, it feels like much longer ago.  I love to run long distances...but I remembered just how far "long" runs are when training for a marathon.

Thankfully, when I woke up on Saturday morning it was overcast and cool.  I made my usual pre-run breakfast of a bagel (half with peanut butter, half with butter) and coffee.  I passed some time by watching episodes of How I Met Your Mother on Netflix - I was opposed to this show at one time but since starting it from the very beginning, it's become a favorite.  But anywho!

It was even a little bit misty outside (and 94% humidity!!) so I paired my capri pants with a long sleeved tshirt.  I ran the first seven miles by myself at a 9:30 pace.  Which I knew was too fast...I kept telling myself to slow down.  But I didn't.  I had a mini battle in my mind:  I was running the lake route so I thought I'm just running the lake route.  I'm also running the Melrose route so I still have another 11mi to go after this!!  The I'm just running the lake route mindset won the mini battle...

When I got back to my house after the first seven miles, my friend was waiting there for me.  She is training for a half marathon on Oct 6th.  Applefest in Hollis, NH.  The first of my half marathons that weekend.

We set out on a couple of smaller hills and headed down to Melrose Center.  It's about 5mi down, and 5mi back up to Wakefield.  So we went all the way through Wakefield Center to get that last mile in.  Whew.  I remember now how far a long run is - it's 18mi.

I felt good the first 7 when I was on my own.  I felt okay for the first 5 that we were together.  I felt not too great for the next 4 and the last 2 were pretty bad.  But thankfully I had Joci there with me to keep some pep in my step.  I took 3 Gu's - at 6, 12, and 15.  They kept me going but I know some Gatorade would have helped too.

Overall, it was a good run.  I'm glad to have gotten the miles in.  It was tough, but I knew it was going to be.  That's why we do training runs - to know what the marathon is going to feel like.  I was so glad to have a friend (who knows what I'm like at the end of a long run and won't judge me - it's not pretty) with me for the second half of the run.  Training gets lonely sometimes and 18mi is really far to run all alone.

maybe when i'm 70

Below are the current qualifying times for the Boston Marathon:

QUALIFYING TIMES (New for the 2013 Boston Marathon)

Qualifying window for the 2013 Boston Marathon began September 24, 2011.  

AGE	MEN	WOMEN
18-34	3hrs 05min 00sec	3hrs 35min 00sec
35-39	3hrs 10min 00sec	3hrs 40min 00sec
40-44	3hrs 15min 00sec	3hrs 45min 00sec
45-49	3hrs 25min 00sec	3hrs 55min 00sec
50-54	3hrs 30min 00sec	4hrs 00min 00sec
55-59	3hrs 40min 00sec	4hrs 10min 00sec
60-64	3hrs 55min 00sec	4hrs 25min 00sec
65-69	4hrs 10min 00sec	4hrs 40min 00sec
70-74	4hrs 25min 00sec	4hrs 55min 00sec
75-79	4hrs 40min 00sec	5hrs 10min 00sec
80 and over	4hrs 55min 00sec	5hrs 25min 00sec

Let's put this in perspective to me, specifically.  I ran my first marathon by the 80yr + time.  I ran my second marathon at 70-74 time.  This past Boston I also would have qualified, had I been 70-74 years old.  However, to qualify at my age, I'd have to knock an hour and ten minutes off my time.  With each marathon I've run, I've bested my own time by at least 13min...however, besting my time by over an hour?  Not a chance.  But, there's hope:  if I don't get any slower, maybe I'll finally qualify for Boston when I'm 70!  A girl can dream...

it wasn't pretty...

In anticipation of my upcoming back to back half marathons I wanted to get back to back long runs in this weekend.  And I did!  It wasn't pretty...but it is done.  Whew.

On Saturday, I still wasn't sure about the weather so I stuck around Wakefield for 9mi.  But I already told you about that.  Yesterday, I had hoped to get in 16 more miles.  Unfortunately, I was not prepared for how TIRED I was going to feel after the 9mi the day before and only managed 14.  I think this is the first time ever that I've put two long runs back to back.  It's good to know how I might feel...but in the moment, around mile 10 yesterday, I was not happy to be doing this.

I ran a beautiful route on a beautiful day:  from my friends' house in Peabody, through downtown Salem, along 114 into Marblehead, taking a right onto Ocean Dr.  This road leads to Devereux Beach (where I like to go in the summer) and around Marblehead Neck.  An amazing little stretch of land with ginormous houses.  Also, from here you can see the Boston skyline and the planes lining up to land at Logan.  It's pretty cool.

I started having trouble around mile 7 or so.  I was tired and hungry.  When you're hungry, Gu just doesn't cut it.  But, I pressed on from Marblehead back into Salem, muttering "I'm still moving forward..." over and over.  Hey, it kept me going - whatever works, right?!  I made it back to Peabody to two hills that didn't seem that big when I was going down them...but mountainous now that I was on my way back to the car.  Those two hills and another mile were standing between me and my car.  I have to say, I walked up the first one, but then put my head down and finished out the last hill and the last mile.  My pride will never, ever let me walk the last mile.  Ever.  (Just thinking that this might come back to bite me at some point....let me amend:  I *try* to never, ever walk the last mile.  There.  That's better.)

After a long, tough run, there's nothing I want more than a burger and a beer.  And that's just what I got.  Some friends and I met at Cambridge Brewing Co in Kendall Sq for dinner - and it was de.li.cious.  Go there, it's good!

I am still really tired today...not sure if that's due to the 23mi I ran this weekend or to the fact that it's Monday.  Let's be honest, probably both. 

it's here!

So, I swapped my long run days around this weekend because today looked to be pretty iffy, weather-wise.  Of course now it is a bright, sunshiney day.  But this morning...oh, this morning!  After the rains had ended, I headed out for an 8-9miler.  And it was glorious!  Cloudy, mid-sixties, a bit windy - just perfect!  There were leaves crunching on the ground beneath my shoes.  There was a crispness in the air.  Fall is here!!

This is the kind of weather I've been waiting for all summer...okay, well, since the end of July at least.  I love the summer and for a long time it was absolutely my favorite season.  But since I've been running more and training for fall marathons, it has quickly become my second favorite season - well, it's tied for second with spring.  Winter is obviously in last place.  Fall has absolutely become my favorite.  And I'm so glad that it is finally here!

I got a solid 4mi in last night with my friend, Ellen.  Today, I ran another 8.7mi.  And tomorrow, I'll finally tackle that 16miler.  Now I'm off to buy some run some errands, which includes buying apples to make a pie or a crisp or both!  Mmmm, fall tastes yummy...

of course

I should expect nothing less when planning a long run, right? 

On either side is 0% chance of rain.  On the day I plan to run 16mi, it's 40% chance.  I'm still up in the air about running on Saturday or Sunday.  I have a friend lined up to help me through the last 5-6mi on Saturday...so as long as she is up for running in the rain, I suppose I'll go through with it.  But come, on.  Seriously?! 


Would you run a long run in the rain or would you wait for a nicer day? 

lost my movo

I had a sense that at some point along the way, I'd have these feelings.  Of the I-don't-feel-like-running variety.  Well, they're here and I'm finding it hard to get some motivation.  Oh, I know I have to run...but right now I'm finding it hard to want to run. 

This is not unusual.  It happens to me more often than maybe I'd care to admit.  Don't get me wrong, I love to run.  I love the way it makes me feel, both in the moment and when I'm done.  But it's the getting out there that is proving to be the problem right now. 

Since the 25K I have run a total of 9.5 mi.  In a week!  That is not enough, my friends.  But it's what I've done and it'll have to do.  However, this cannot continue.  I must find my movo and get my bum in gear...  Why?  Because I have back to back half marathons coming up in 3.5weeks.  Which means I need to get some back to back long runs in as well as all the midweek maintenance runs.  (In telling you all this, I'm psyching myself up, giving myself some accountability.)

This weekend will be a long run.  Like, really long.  16mi long.  Then for my next trick - ;) - I'll try to pull off an 8-10miler on Sunday.

Do me a favor and ask me about my runs on Monday, won't you?  

a visual overview

Instead of just telling you about the 25K, let me show you what my Nike+ SportWatch tracked that day:

 

race recap #5

To sum up the 2012 Around Cape Ann 25K in just a few words, I'd have to use:  pretty awesome!  I hope you'll read why below.

Monday morning was pretty much the most perfect race/run weather I could have asked for.  Low 60's, overcast, and just a bit foggy on the North Shore.  This was the first time since the beginning of April that I have had goosebumps while waiting at the starting line...and it was most welcome!  The two races (7K and 25K) went off at the same time and I had to hope that everyone heard the announcement that they were starting in different locations.  Can you imagine training for 15mi and ending up accidentally running a 4mi race?  Or the other way around?  Awful, either way.

The first few miles went by pretty quickly and as I got to mile 5, I was kind of surprised.  Last time I ran this race the hills felt HUGE.  This time, they seemed big but not insurmountable.  I was really dreading the hills but I must have made them worse in my head than they actually were!  Which was a very pleasant realization.  I will admit, the long incline coming out of the center of Rockport took quite a bit out of me.

But as we made our way along the ocean, I was very excited to see the Welcome to Gloucester sign.  After that is was another mile or so till we reached Good Harbor Beach, and another few miles till we reached the center of Gloucester.  This is where I started to fall apart a bit.  Most of the course is very beautiful...right along the ocean and really cool old houses.  Then you get to downtown Gloucester.  The last three or so miles left a little to be desired in the view category.

After I hit mile 13.1, I did walk short distances off and on.  My knees had started to bother me a bit and my right hip still isn't at 100%.  But with resolve, I gutted through the last mile and a half.  Speaking of the last half mile: it's up a (short) steep hill that turns sharply left and up a bit more.  The final crazy hill (there are a total of 16!!) before getting to the finish line.

I was so excited to see a couple of friends who had come out to cheer me on for the dash to the finish, but also to see my time:  2:38:45.  That's right...a 12min PR on this crazy course.  Which of course makes me want to run it again next year to try and beat this new PR - and get a great training run in for NYC.

But back to the race at hand.  I would recommend this race for the following reasons:
1. it's cheap - only $35 for a long race is not bad.
2. it's challenging - you want to run some hills, run this race.
3. it's small, but not overly so.
4. short lines at the portopotties - it's the little things...
5. course support - lots of people out on their porches cheering.
6. the volunteers are awesome!

I would not recommend this race for the following reasons:
1. the Tshirt - if this is important to you, this one isn't great.  That's it.  That's the only reason not to recommend this race.

And, that's a wrap on HM #5 (plus two more miles for good measure)!!  Next up:  Applefest in Hollis, NH on Oct 6th.  Can't wait!