2011 New York City Marathon: Snapshots

Posted on November 10, 2011 by JT

Novermber 5, 2011

Marathon Eve – I flew into town on Saturday with just enough time to visit the Expo and check into my hotel before meeting my brother and his friends at a bar in Inwood. I ate yam fries whilst everyone else had beer. I complained my yam fries were not sufficient fuel, so we stopped at a Ramen place.

Marathon Eve (a little later) – We watched the Bama –LSU game at the hotel. The score was tied at the end of the fourth quarter, and despite protestations from my brother the game had to be turned off so I could sleep.

November 6, 2011

Base Camp (6 AM – 10:30)– I woke up promptly at 4:50 and boarded the bus to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at the Fort Wadsworth area of Staten Island. As the bus drove across the bridge I had the thought that I would be running on this very bridge in a few hours.

Our bibs divided us into 3 tribes: blue, orange, and green. I joined my fellow greens for a festive party. There were bagels, Powerbars, water, and hot coffee for us to enjoy. All around me I saw runner of every tribe and nation speaking their Babel of tongues. I heard French, Spanish, Italian, and German and others. The international runners often wore their flags, so I saw that even amongst the English speakers there were English, Australians, Kiwis, and South Africans.

I checked my smart phone to see how the Bama-LSU game played out. Damn it.

Starting Line (10:40)-

The runners were divided into 3 waves, with the 3 colors represented in each wave. I was Wave 3, Green – which is another way of saying ‘Last’. From Base Camp I could watch the first Waves run by on the bridge. We waved to them, and they waved back. Finally my group was called and we moseyed on over to the starting corral. As we slowly shuffled to the start they started to play that song that goes something like ‘Start Spreading the news…duh du-duh duh…something, something’ – you know the one. It all felt very New Yorky.

Miles 1–2 (Verrazano Bridge)-

Everyone was jazzed. We clapped when cop cars drove by on the other side. We slapped hands with bridge workers and cops sitting on top of their cars watching us go by. Some British girls (identified by the Union Jacks they were waving) had taken off their shirts and were running in bras –not sports bras.

At the end of the bridge this guy was peeing off to the side, which was funny because the announcer before the starting line told us specifically not to do that. Runners tossed hats and layers aside in heaps as they decided they were too warm to need such things.

I felt confident.

Miles 2–13 (Brooklyn) The race split into two for just a little bit, and then the two courses converged onto a main street that took us through Brooklyn.

People cheered from every side and there was no end to them. Occasionally tourists would cross the street, and despite their attempts to find breaks in the crowd, they would always force runners to slow. Bad tourists, bad.

Somewhere around mile 10, perhaps the Williamsburg area, I stopped at a Porta-Potty. I had to, but I lost no time because there was no line.

I still felt confident.

Mile 15 (Queensboro Bridge)

We had just run through Queens and had entered the Queensboro Bridge. This to me was the hump, that one part in my training where my legs would feel like jelly and want to quit. It’s not the farthest I had run before, but I had never run to this point without feeling weak.

As we left the bridge and entered Manhattan, I felt fine.

Mile 18– (Manhattan)

In my training I had never run past 18 miles –I started to feel tired. I took advantage of the fuel stations, the first I had seen.

Mile 20– (The Bronx)

We crossed the Willis Ave. Bridge into the Bronx. As I entered this cheery little Borough a bystander held up a sign that said ‘You Have Entered the Bronx – Better Start Running!’ Thanks.

Mile 20, as I now know, is where the marathon begins. It hurt. I wanted to stop, but forced myself to remain steady.

Mile 23– (Mt. Everest)

A hill sprouted up right before our eyes. This is Manhattan, not San Francisco. I wanted to die

Mile 24– (Central Park)

I did not notice the loveliness of the park because I still wanted to die.

Mile 25 — (Central Park at Colombus Circle)

I heard someone yell my name, which I didn’t think was important until they said my last name. I turned around and saw my brother waving. I waved back. Then my brother ran ahead to slap my hand – show off. Someone else tried to slap my hand but I didn’t realize it was my sister-in-law until I passed her. I turned around and waved as if to say ‘sorry’.

Mile 26–

Meh.

26.1–

Come sweet death.

26.2–

Though I had absolutely nothing left in me, I gave it one final kick into the finish and passed this girl right at the end. She was cute. I hope she wasn’t mad.

Elapsed time: 4:49:36

Average pace: ~11

The Finish Line–

To do justice to what happened here I must write a narrative perhaps as long as this one.

TO BE CONTINUED…

2011 NYCM Debriefing

Posted on November 9, 2011 by JT

I am still working on a full race report, but here’s the skinny:

Runner: JT

Showing off my race bling in Brooklyn.

Time: 4:49:36

Average Pace: ~11

Shoes: Brooks Cascadia. Yup I wore trail runners on the ultimate road race. I’m a rebel.

Deodorant: Old Spice Swagger.

Chafing: Almost none. I used Band-Aids and Body Glide and running tights.

Soreness: Still stiff after 3 days, though I am not sure it’s that much more than when I ran my first half marathon.

Thoughts: Most painful physical experience of my life, starting at mile 20. Miles 23–26.2 were the worst. I should note that I did feel strong until mile 18, and I kept a steady pace throughout the race.

Weird Stuff: Guy peeing on side of the road, tourists trying to cross the street in front of runners, extra clothing layers tossed to the side of the road, never-ending crowds, and a whole lot of European runners speaking their various tongues.

Compared to Others:

Apolo Ohno (Olympian speed skater) 3:25:14

Mario Lopez (AC Slater) 4:23:31

Geoffrey Mutai (Winner) 2:05:05

Emmanuel Mutai (2^nd) 2:06:28

Meb Keflezighi (6^th) 2:09:13

Firehiwot Dado (1^st Women’s) 2:23:15

Running with the 1%

Posted on November 4, 2011 by JT

<html>

<sarcasm>

Fact: 1% of all runners have 99% of the world’s talent. These so-called elites get guaranteed entry to all the major marathons, get the earliest starting times, and hog all the Runner’s World covers. These arrogant sons of ‘natches honestly believe that just because they are more talented and better prepared then the rest of us, that they deserve to be called winners. What do they want, medals?

Whatever.

I am so filled with rage right now I can barely type. Are you as outraged as I am?

No?

Then you are not paying attention.

</sarcasm>

<serious>

I am the 99%. When I run in the New York City Marathon in a few days I will start in the very last wave where I belong, and I am totally cool with that. One of the things that make the NYCM a once in a lifetime opportunity is the chance to run with the 1%, the elites.

After November 6^th, I will be able to say that I ran with people like this:

Meb Keflezighi – I love this guy. He’s originally from Eritrea, but he moved to the US as a child. He’s an Olympian, and he won the 2009 NYCM. He also wrote a good memoir.

Geoffrey Mutai – Kenyan. 2011 Boston Marathon champion.

Caroline Killel – Kenyan. 2011 Boston Marathon women’s champion.

Those are just the names I recognized. To get a full list of the elite athletes go here for men, and here for women.

Maybe history will happen this November 6^th. New world record? New American record? PR for Meb? Who knows? Regardless, I can say I ran with the 1% and was there when they made history. Cool, no?

<Post-Script>

Here’s a link to the various celebrities running the race, but who cares about them? They are even more 99% then I am.

Also since I am going link crazy today, please enjoy my commentary on the 2010 ING NYC Marathon, where I waxed fantastical about running the NYCM someday with all the cool people. It’s funny to read it in hindsight.

</Post-Script>

</Serious>

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NYC Marathon Fears

Posted on October 30, 2011 by JT

Logistics:

Transportation – My main issue here is I fly into NYC on midday Saturday and must get to the Expo by 5pm to get my racing bib. My hotel provides a shuttle service to the Expo, but it only runs a few times a day and I will miss it. So I must take a taxi from the airport to the Expo. Surely a taxi driver can get me there on time, and yet this part makes me nervous. What if my plane from Birmingham leaves late?

I have transportation from my hotel to the starting line, so that should be cool.

Gear– What if I forget something? You know, like my shoes. Those of you who know me know it’s the kind of thing I would do.

I also need to figure out what the weather will be and dress correctly. Will it be tights cold or shorts not-so-cold? Dunno. Hat? Gloves? Whatever layers I bring must be throwaway.

And let’s not forget the never-ending battle against chafing. Band-Aids for my nipples? Check. Bodyglide? Yes, please.

Training:

Endurance -The goal of the Hal Higdon’s Novice Marathon Training Guide was to train for a long run of 20 miles. After this point in theory I am ready for the big 26.2. Thing is I only made it to 18. Maybe that’s not a big deal, but I feel like I need at least another month of training. I am especially concerned I will hit the wall at about mile 15 or so, because that is the point in training where I just don’t have anything left.

Time - At the start of training, I had this idea in my head that I could bust a 4-hour marathon on my first shot. Well honestly, I think a 4:20 is probably where I am at right now. Everyone tells me just to enjoy it and not sweat the time, but everything in me wants to be AWESOME! NOW! Really I just need to take a chill pill. It’s a fun run really — I should just enjoy the ride and worry about times in future marathons.

2011 ING NYC Marathon Training: Week 17

Posted on October 30, 2011 by JT

Training: Okay I ran everything on the schedule last week except a 3-miler. Sue me.

This next week I must run I a 3, 4, and a 2 with 3 rest days leading up to Marathon Day! Gulp.

2011 ING NYC Marathon Training: Week 16

Posted on October 24, 2011 by JT

I am training for the NYC Marathon; I just finished Week 16 of 18 in my training.

2 Weeks till Glory!

I finally did it — I followed the schedule this week. I decided to turn the 12-miler into a 15, only because I felt like I had to make up for not completing the 20-miler of two weeks ago. Of course I couldn’t go any farther than 15 because this is officially the tapering part of the training.

Taper – Tis the season to run less, and rest up for the big day: November 6.

Not a taper.

During this time I also want to be sure to practice good sleeping habits. I need not only rest, but also to get used to waking up early. Not only do I have to get in my final practice runs before work, but I have to wake up very early on both Race Day and Race Day Eve.

Also, I don’t know if this is scientific or anything, but I want my body chock full of energy before race day. I need to put things in my body now that seem like fuel.

Week 17: I need to run a 4, 6, 3, and 8. Ready? Break!

Adventure Bucket List

Posted on October 20, 2011 by JT

The following list is not exhaustive, but it’s a start. These are events and specific races that I would like to run before I shuffle off my mortal coil. Here they are in no particular order:

Events

half marathon – Done and done. When I was in my 20’s I never thought that I would overcome my old injuries and be able to run one of these. My 32 year-old self proved my 23 year-old self wrong though. May it be the first of many such occasions.
marathon – Working on it…This is the quintessential race for long-distance runners. It will really mean something to me when I get one of these under my belt. 2011 ING NYC Marathon here I come!
triathlon – The idea of swimming scares the ever-living snot out of me, especially trying to swim fast with other people around me. Also, I do not even have a bicycle. Though this is not high on my list of priorities, I will do one at some point. The triathlete is, in a way, the ultimate endurance athlete.
ultra-marathon – Any step past 26.2 is considered an ultra. If a marathon is awesome, then this is wild. I wanna be wild. Dude. Like totally.
trail race – Trail running and road running are two different animals. Sometimes I practice on the trails, and though the pace is slower, the challenges are different. Roots, hills, creeks…etc. Every trail race I have registered for I have had to bow out at the last minute.

Races

NYC Marathon – I am set to run this in a few weeks. Not a bad gig for a first marathon, eh? My goal is to beat Meb Keflezighi. Prediction: I will be disappointed.
Boston Marathon – Is it a little pretentious to have this as a goal, especially considering I have yet to run my first? Yup. I don’t care though. I think I can run a Boston qualifying time, by the time I am 40. I am 32.
Dipsea – A famous race in Marin County, CA that started in 1905. I heard of this race growing up, but never realized how cool it was until recently. An 8 year-old won it last year! Not joking.
Bay to Breakers – Another famous race, this one in San Francisco. Heard about it growing up, but never ran it.
San Francisco Marathon – Since I’ve put two Bay Area races on here, I might as well add a third. I live far away from home now (Birmingham, AL), but I got to get myself back and visit some people. Maybe I can run some races while I am there.
Hood to Coast – A 200-mile relay race that starts on Mt. Hood Oregon and finishes in Seaside, OR. You need a team to run it, and even then you have to apply and wait for years to get in. There is a really good movie about it that I blogged about here. My sister has run it a couple times, on the Shrute Beet Farms team. Hey Sis, let me in!

Question: What running adventures do you have on the ol’ bucket list?

2011 ING NYC Marathon Training: Week 15

Posted on October 17, 2011 by JT

I should have ran a 20, a 10, and 2 5’s this week.

I actually ran a 2, a 5, and a 15.

I am so not ready…

Did I slack? The 2 was a 5 that I aborted because of shin splints – now there’s a demon I haven’t faced in a while. I had to rest from the splints before I attempted my long run of 20. To run this 20 I made it to the park at about 5:30 AM and ran as far as I could before I had to leave to make it to work on time. I couldn’t do more than 15. I feel bad that I didn’t do the schedule, but that was the most my body let me do this week.

Though that’s true, it still shows how unprepared I am for this marathon. I thought I was unprepared for my half, but I did pretty well. This time though I am sure I am unprepared. That 20 was arguably the most important run in my training. The training I have left is for tapering, which is to say recovering for the big 26.2. The most I have run is 18. I need to run 8.2 miles more than 18 at race pace! Holy Shoot. The thing is I cannot even handle these SLR’s (Super Long Runs) well. When I push past 15, my legs are near useless. My run turns to a jog, which turns to a limp, which turns to a crawl, which probably ends in collapse; though I have yet to push it that far. Even on shorter runs my speed is average to poor. I know I am capable of more. This depresses me.

My problem I think is twofold: my lack of training and my diet. My body is not used to these SLR’s (Super Long Runs) and is rebelling in the form of injury and slowness. I also am not eating well. Fatty foods, alcohol, et cetera. My last weigh in was about 167, which for me is not good. I believe that 165 is the magic number that makes me shin splint proof. Ideally I think I should be 159. I definitely think this would reduce the occurrence of injury and improve my speed.

Before my half I felt like I was about to take a final that I wasn’t prepared and yet I managed to pull an A-/B+. It was the best I could have done given the training. I think for this marathon I am looking at a C if lucky. I will award myself a C for finishing. Meh.

For Week 16 my schedule says to run a 12, 8, 5, and 4. My goal is to do that. No more. No less.

2011 ING NYC Marathon Training: Weeks 13 & 14

Posted on October 10, 2011 by JT

4 Weeks Till Race!

Week 13: Oops I did it again. I am pretty sure I only ran twice. I did manage to make one of those my long run of 18 miles. That is the farthest I have ever run.

Week 14: I ran 5 days this week instead of the scheduled 4. I ran a 3 instead of the XT session.

Super Long Runs – I consider anything past 15 to be a SLR. Here’s the dillyo: they hurt! When I approach 15 I slow considerably and my legs feel like jelly. Hills and even minor inclines become a problem and I walk. Funny thing is though when 9, 10, or even 12 miles appear on the schedule they are now “fun size” runs. I remember when I used to barely hobble in to finish 9’s back when I was in half marathon training.

I have a 20 miler on the schedule for tomorrow. May God have mercy on my soul.

Waking Up Is Hard to Do: In the summer I mainly ran in the evenings after work. Now that the Fall is here I have to run in the AM due to the shortened days. This is usually fine because I start work late in the morning, but with my upped mileage, and given the travel time to get to a running spot, I really need to learn how to wake up at say 5ish. I think even without running this is a good discipline to have. I say I am a night owl, but what exactly gets accomplished when I am up past midnight checking my FB? Exactly. Learning to go to bed earlier and wake earlier is my struggle right now. Those of you who don’t understand this just shut up. We all have our battles.

2011 ING NYC Marathon Training: Week 12

Posted on September 26, 2011 by JT

Confession: I ran 3 x this week: an 8, a 12, and wait…that’s it. I ran twice this week. There were a couple times when I just plain slept in. Because the days are shorter now I can’t run after work and I must wake before work to run. Also since my mileage is increasing I have to run longer. On my long runs I could be out anywhere from 2 to even 4 hours! Yup I’m really training for a marathon. Basically I need to learn how to wake up at 5am. Yup.

Hail to the chafe: Another problem I had this past week was chafing — I mean really bad chafing. I wore my compression shorts for my 12 miler, but they didn’t help. I ran out of Body Glide so before my next run I need to go to Fleet Feet and get some. Chafing is a funny thing really. Sometimes I can run 12 miles and not be bothered and other times…well…let’s just say I was limping at work that day, and I couldn’t really tell anyone why.

Panic: I cannot believe the race is almost here! Ack. I am so not prepared.

Homework for Week 13:

Buy Body Glide.
Learn how to wake up early.
Do what it says on my Hal Higdon Novice training schedule for real this time.

JT Runs

life, running, and the pursuit of excellence.