Derby Festival Half Marathon Day

I won't bore anyone with my usual back complaints.  We were all worried about the rain forecast, it was on again off again.  At six am leaving for the bus, it was definitely on again.  Really, it was a light sprinkle then nothing through Iroquois park.  I kept getting cut off by a dude doing the relay, who wove back and forth on the curves always wanting to be on the inside, without looking at who he is cutting off.  Someone needs to write a manual on race etiquette.  After exiting the park, for awhile I got right next to spitting girl.  She was having some issues and spat alot in my direction (if only I had that etiquette pamphlet I could hand her.)  The rain came down a bit but felt good after the warm run through the park, then let up coming toward Churchill Downs.  Being the documentarian nerd, I pulled my camera out. When would I get the chance to be on the inside track at Churchill with the horses practicing?   As I entered the tunnel going under the track to the infield "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine came on my shuffle.  It was almost like I was in the Truman Show and someone was playing the soundtrack to my life.

The dog days are over

The dog days are done
The horses are coming
So you better run
Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You cant carry it with you if you want to survive
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
Because here they come

I crossed the finish line at 2 hours and 14 seconds, but my chip time was 1 hour 55 minutes.  I think I had a good run, despite the pains and my legs not wanting to work faster than they were already working.  The Marathon runners and the Mini runners split maybe around mile eleven, and I thought "They still have fifteen miles to go!!  What the hell am I doing?"  

I hope I haven't got myself in over my head.

Keith Labelle- my NYC partner in madness and speed freak, finished in 1:36.  Awesome!
Mary Beth O'Brien - My corrall race partner
Churchill Downs -the horses are coming so you better run
The finish line- check out that clock! 

Day 16 198 left

Tomorrow is the Derby Marathon/Mini-Marathon.  I'm excited, hoping the weather holds out.  I'm running with Mary Beth, and looking forward to a good run.  I have set all my stuff out and I'm sure I will still forget something.  Tonight at the expo I bought a runner's belt, and will hurt anyone that calls it a (whispers) fanny pack.  A fanny pack is never acceptable.   It has solved one of my problems.  I usually run with my iphone, but didn't want to carry it in the rain, and its cumbersome to handle.  But I want to take pictures, how many opportunities will I get to run on the track at Churchill Downs?  So I bought a shuffle for my music, and a waterproof NOT fannypack for my tiny camera.  

Tonight we had dinner with my running group at Bearnos.  I will really miss running with them.  Thanks to our leaders, Andrea and Leslie.  Amazing people, great motivators and I would have given up a long time ago without them.  Going to get some sleep, if I can, and good luck to everyone tomorrow.

Day 12- 202 left

Just three miles today.  Andrea and Leslie made a scavenger hunt today, changed it up a bit, made it a fun run.  We ran down 2nd street, over to Fourth Street Live in front of the Hard Rock Cafe, to the stadium and back.  Lots of fun pictures to follow.

There is a statue of Pee Wee Reese in front of the stadium.  Tradition calls that you rub Pee Wee's raised foot for good luck.  I rubbed it for luck this weekend for the half marathon.  I rubbed it for luck training for the marathon, and for the big day in November, and I know luck is the least of what I need to finish.

day 10- 204 days

Today was gorgeous- six miles down to waterfront park, past the hotdog/elephant ear/cotton candy vendors.  We ran past Cake Flour and the Bodega.  At the corner of Main and Guthrie, we came upon the Krispy Kreme donut truck.  I think we were hungry, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking about a pit stop, or at least a drive by after the run.  I was probably the only one fantasizing about carjacking the donut truck.  I ran with a small group, officially met and chatted with Brenna, really nice girl.  We are both former smokers.  She told me her ex husband told her she would never be able to quit smoking, so she did and joined the running group.  Good for her!  I think that is the best motivation or reverse psychology or something.  Telling me I couldn't do something just makes me want to do it more, want to prove you wrong.  I really want someone to tell me I will never be able to give up sweets, or I will never be able to quit biting my nails.

I need people to tell me I will never finish this marathon.

Day 5- 209 and counting

5 miles-  feeling rough.  Need to remember to stretch AFTER a run as well.  I'm a bit disappointed after having such a great 11 miles on Saturday to having a hard time with just 5 today.  Despite the difficulties, the day was gorgeous and the bridge, as usual, was never ending.

 

My shuffled running mix part one

A Dustland FairytaleBuffalo Stance
Verbing the NounNothin' On You [Feat. Bruno Mars]American Boy (Original Version By 'Estelle Featuring Kanye West')Dog Days Are OverThe FlatheadHeavy CrossI LikeYou So Much Better When You`re NakedDon't Stop Believin'Paper PlanesOne Day (Featuring Akon)Faster Kill Pussycat [Featuring Brittany Murphy] (Album Version)Light & DayShark In The WaterRaindropsCh-Check It Out [Explicit]

Day 3 -211

Eleven miles today-beautiful sunshine, perfect temperature.  And I felt really good running despite not sleeping.  The route was a down Broadway to Baxter to Eastern thru Cherokee Park, out to nearly Seneca and back.  The hills that normally kill me felt really good.  I had a good running partner, Margaret, from my running group.  We met at the entrance to the park and she stayed with me the rest of the way.

My usual back pain started up around mile 8 or so.  It starts dull in my upper left shoulder and feels more of a musculature pain, than a bone or a joint.  It gets pretty numbing, and I can hardly turn my head.  I usually spend the last part of my run stretching my arms over my head or massaging the spot.  I need to get a handle on it.

Despite that, I had a great run and a great morning.  And the icing on the cake was the statue of Martin Luther outside the Lutheran church on Broadway with sequined bunny ears atop his head.

Day 2- 212 days to go

I'm reading "A Race Like No Other" by Liz Robbins. It's a mile by mile multiple runner account of the marathon: experienced runners, "winners", novices like myself, lots of people with lots of reasons for running. The book terrifies me and excites me at the same time. Just a few things that struck me in the book, and I am just a bit into it- When Pam, 45 years old and recovering alcoholic "learned she had won a number from the New York City Marathon back in June, she was humbled by the odds she had beaten. Of the 43,989 U.S. residents who had applied, she was one of 8,157 accepted."

Very humbling. I read that awhile ago and underlined it, thinking the odds were low.

I also read in the first chapter about "The Wall-utter mental and physical depletion plaguing the body around the 20 mile marker that makes runners feel they have run up against a concrete barrier and can go no farther." There was also a line that said the Marathon "will hurt everybody in the race today." A lot of daunting stories.

I think about why I am running.

Day 1

Nervous and excited. I am "in" with 213 days to go. I got my acceptance letter to the ING New York City Marathon Class of 2010. I almost deleted the letter without opening, thinking it was another random email, but saw "Congratul" in the partial subject line. I have a million thoughts: worried about being up for it, but excited for the challenge, concerned about my usual running pains in my back, I need new shoes.

I immediately thought about celebrating with a nice long run through Cherokee Park. I went to El Mundo instead and had a margarita. I'll celebrate tomorrow.

New York, I will see you soon.