Training Report # 4

This week has been tough. After last week long run and the increase in millage my body is tired. My hip is doing well and I don't have any pain neither I am sore but I am tired and my legs feel a little heavy. 

I did a recovery 6 miles run on Tuesday and on Wednesday I was planning to take it easy again as I needed to do 8 miles but I ended up running with some of the flyers at my half marathon pace which was not smart at all. On Thursday I needed to do again 8 miles but  I was teaching for 5 hours during the afternoon standing on heels and I was so exhausted after teaching that I took some minutes to rest before heading the park which wasn't a good idea because it is getting dark sooner!! where did the summer go?? By the time I was just 5 miles into my run it was already completely dark...I felt I needed a headlamp!

I have heard in the news that there have been several incidents in the park so I decided that it wasn't a good idea to be out there running alone in the dark and I came back home...anyway it was just 3 miles, that won't hurt my training.

I took Friday off to recover for the race on Saturday but I was not feeling positive about it. Surprisingly I did much better that I expected. Without any kind of constant speed training and even though I was feeling like carrying 2 huge rocks on my calf I was able to perform close to my last year PR (last year I was in really good shape at this point of the year and injury free). I couldn't believe I ran again in the 8ish without even giving 100% (not that 8ish is really fast but I am not a fast runner so for me it is really FAST). I was actually may be running at my 85/90%. I am not sure if other runners feel the same but sometimes I am scared to give 100%, I think I might have a stroke or collapse in the course if I do. It is weird but I always think that.

The race was a team championships so you need to be part of a running team to race it which means that some of the best runners in the NY area were there. There were really fast!! Afterwards we had a picnic!!

Today I did a 22 miles run. I ran from Upper East Side to West 42nd street and Westside Highway where I met some Flyers, from there we ran north on the Riverside Park. The group just ran to @ 145 and turned back but I kept going by myself to the GW Bridge where I turned and ran all the way to Battery Park until the Brooklyn Bridge!! Here some pictures I took during the run.

It was really hot and I was really tired....by mile 20 I started to wonder how the HELL I will run 50 miles!! the idea of having to run the whole thing again scared me to dead!! but now I can't regret, I have told everyone about this...I have a blog about it...OMG...there is no way back...I MUST DO!!  LOL

Even though I completed the 22 miles this run was a complete failure in any other way....nothing worked as planned but at least I've learned a couple of lessons:

• Carrying a banana in your belt pocket to substitute your GU it is NOT a good idea! I ended up with something that looked as banana pudding on my butt and 1 food less
• You need to double check your meals/fluids and carry extra!!! No sure what happened but I left some of my GU on the table so I only had 2 GU and a mashed banana for a 22 miles run :(...thanks GOD I had change so I could buy an extra Gatorade in a vendor machine...always carry change!!! $20 bills are not useful on those machines :)
• I hate belts...now I have 2 betls I will never wear again...someone want one?? I will go back to my hand bottle and I just ordered a new pair of shorts from race ready with pockets all around!!
• Frozen Gatorade taste good but it is damn heavy on your belt
• I need to buy more vaseline...my boobs chaffed again :(
• I MUST do my long runs alone or with people slower than me....I did positive split again :( . At the beginning I was trying to keep up with the group and they were much faster than me

Anyway the balance of the week is totally positive!! I was able to follow the schedule and even though I am tired my body is not ready to collapse yet!!! hahahaha....this week I will increase my millage again...Wish me luck!!!!

Finally.....a girl needs some motivation to keep running with more than 80 degrees, thanks guys !!