My #Bestrun: NYC Half Marathon

I'm a little late to the party, but I couldn't resist the chance to join in with Miss Zippy and share my #bestrun!

Every time I lace up my running shoes, I am hoping to produce that #magicmilefairy type of run that leaves you wondering, how did that happen? what did I do? wasn't that awesome? 

Like most runners, I have had more than one of these (thank goodness), but the one that stands out the most to me is my recent half marathon in NYC.

Here's why:

1) The scenery: I've always wanted to run in New York City, so getting into the half marathon in March was a dream come true. Running with thousands of other runners while cheering and screaming spectators lined the city streets and Times Square flashed all around me was A - MAZ - ING! Central Park, Times Square, the South Street Seaport, to Battery Park, I ran all over New York City.

2) The weather: Although it was freezing before and after the race, during was perfect. I love when the temperature is cold, but the sun is shining and that is exactly what Mother Nature served up on race day.

3) The company: My running partner and I have been training together for over a year now, so I was thrilled when we both got into this race. Even better, she was up for making a weekend trip out of it. Lucky for me, she likes to drive and is an expert at getting around NYC. 

4) The PR!: When I found out that I beat my previous best half marathon time in NYC, I was dumbstruck! I went into this race with the intention of just running for fun and taking pictures along the way. The first 9 miles did feel amazing and flew by, but the last 4 were a little tougher so I wasn't thinking PR at all. I love having my PR in NYC!

What was your recent #bestrun?

NYC Half Marathon Recap

I was so excited to arrive in New York City for the NYC Half Marathon on Friday evening with my running partner. The drive from NH wasn't bad at all and Daisy easily got us to the hotel. After checking in we had a late dinner at a little pizzeria down the block near Radio City Music Hall.

On Saturday we grabbed a quick breakfast from the Gourmet Deli across the street from the hotel and then walked to the expo. Even though we knew we were looking for the Penn Plaza Pavilion (which by-the-way is NOT in Penn Station), we were both expecting to see expo signs to help us with the NYC address of 401 Seventh Avenue at West 32nd Street - no such luck. So, it was a little difficult, but we finally found it.

I learned from Daisy that just a few years ago, this race did not have an expo at all. That might explain its small size. The expo may not have been as large as I was expecting, but it was sufficient. We picked up our bibs and shirts, and then browsed the vendors serving the usual runner needs of clothing, shoes, nutrition and recovery, along with some souvenir items.

One fun part of the expo was the free runner photos. Jump in, snap a picture, print it out, and then email it to yourself if you want. These photo opps are always fun.

We were on our way out when I spotted a familiar face from nycrunningmama! It was so nice to finally meet Michelle in person.    

It was a 530 wake up on Sunday morning to get out the door for the race. We grabbed some breakfast from the deli again, and then made our way to Central Park. It was pretty easy getting there, just follow the runners, but it was freezing! For a race hosting over 15,000 runners the pre-race process was super organized. Runners had the option of dropping provided bags at the designated gear check on Fifth Avenue before entering the park and heading to corrals. 

NYRR photo

We had to be in our corrals by 7AM, so we made our way through the park toward the start area. Each corral had its own set of approximately 20 port-a-potties which meant no line, no waiting. I was glad that I brought a throw-away sweatshirt (courtesy of my husband) to wear over my Nike half zip because with the windchill the temp was 20 degrees. I should have brought a throw away hat and gloves too.

After listening to some fun music, they introduced the elite runners, local favorites, and then the National Anthem to start the race. It took 15 minutes for us to cross the start line! The first half of the race was a loop around Central Park. Running with the crowd helped me be patient and let my legs warm up for the park hills. First half splits: 9:09, 8:49, 8:31, 8:46, 8:49, 8:29. 

Just after the 10K split, the course exited the park on Seventh Avenue. The wall of spectators cheering from the sidelines was the most deafening and incredible experience. I felt like a rock star coming out of the park. I paused on the side to grab some Cytomax, take a quick picture, and look for Daisy. We somehow got separated around mile 5. When I didn't see her, I figured she had already passed by.

View down 7th Ave.

The next couple of miles literally flew by. These were some of my fastest of the race and I remained in awe of the spectators, the music, and of course Times Square. 

Running in Times Square

After passing through Times Square, the course took a right on 42nd Street for about a mile and then turned onto the West Side Highway for the remaining stretch to the finish. It was at the u-turn that I finally saw Daisy (which was a relief to know that we were close to each other). At mile 9 I started playing the mental game. Only 4 more miles to go. Then at mile 10 I was thinking, just a 5K left. I tried to focus on the sites I was expecting to see along the Hudson River waterfront, such as the WTC and Statue of Liberty. 

View down West Side Hwy

With less than a mile to go and feeling a sense of urgency to get to the finish, the course headed into the Battery Park Underpass Tunnel. The tunnel was fun as runners' and spectators' cheers and shouts echoed off the tunnel walls. The fun ended when I realized I had to climb out of the tunnel and to the finish line. Second half splits: 8:17, 8:03, 8:54, 9:12, 8:45, 9:06, 9:45.

Everything about this race was organized, including the finish line area. After being handed my medal, I was directed to the finisher's photo line where I texted my husband and Daisy, and then waited for her. We had our photo taken and then continued our exit. On our way to claim Daisy's gear bag, someone handed us our recovery bags and mylar blankets: two things I needed because my Simple Hydration bottle was empty and I was freezing again. The recovery bag was much appreciated because everything was already in it: water, Gatorade, apple, pretzels. More races need to do this!

I went into this race fully intending to have fun and take a bunch of pictures. I had a blast while running thanks to the amazing NYC spectators, volunteers, and entertainment. If it had been warmer and I knew WHAT to take pictures of, I would have taken more. There was just so much to see; I admit that I was a little overwhelmed. I found some great course photos by another blogger here. Needless to say, I was completely surprised to see my finish time and a brand new PR! And I love that the NYC Half Marathon had its own app that runners and spectators could use before, during, and after the race.

From NYC Half '13 App.

Once we made our way through the crowd we stopped at the NYRR tent. I wanted to buy this really cute tee, but the CC system was down and I didn't have enough cash without giving up my subway fare. We waited for as long as we could stand in the cold and spare since we had to check out of our hotel by noon. Sadly, to order online I'd have to spend $14 to have it shipped. 

You can view all the excitement in this highlight show from On the Run:





Huge thanks to my BRF Daisy for not only running with me, but also for joining me on this race-cation adventure! Stay tuned for the next one...

TrainingTruths: No excuses.

First, let me announce the winner of the NYC Blogiversary Awesome giveaway:

Congratulations to Jill F!

Check your inbox for an email with details on how to claim your prize!

It was another slow week of training last week. 

I use that word loosely because I actually only ran once before leaving on Friday to run the New York City Half Marathon.

I was supposed to run on Tuesday, but it was raining. Instead of coming right home after a day of "professional development" and running on the treadmill, I took a break. That break ended up lasting all evening. Training fail.

On Thursday morning I received my daily dose of Runner's World motivation via the Quote of the Day.

How fitting. So after school I came home and went for an easy run with my husband. We did our regular out and back route. Once we got going, I found myself feeling better. The lack of motivation I had been experiencing began to be replaced with happy endorphins. 

We arrived in NYC on Friday evening, spent most of Saturday at the expo and site-seeing before the half marathon on Sunday. I went into this totally planning to just have fun and take some pictures along the way. I did that, but then I PR'd too! (Race recap coming soon)

Crazy blurry start corral picture!

How do you get past the excuses and do the work?

#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to assess ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.

To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:

1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments

I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!

Fitness Friday: NYC or Blogiversary?

NYC or Blogiversary? It's hard to chose which makes me happier!

Today my bags are packed and after school I'm off to NYC with my running partner for our NYC Half Marathon weekend. 

It's been fun getting ready.

It is also my Blogiversary Weekend! I've had some amazing experiences in the last year:

I ran another half marathon with my husband

I served as a ZOOMA ambassador

I met and ran with with Joan Benoit Samuelson

I participated in my first relay RTB:NH

I hosted my first Chilly Challenge

I added Maine to the list of places I have run

As a way to say Thank You to all of you for reading, following, commenting, and supporting this little blog of mine for the past two years, I thought I'd pick up a NYC souvenir and have a fun little giveaway. I don't know what it will be yet, but you can count on it being running related.

To enter for a chance to win my Blogiversary Gift: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entries will be accepted until 11:59 on March 17, 2013. US residents only. Winners will be announced Monday.

TrainingTruths: Running Gives You Freedom

Congrats to Sassy Bands winners Erin S., Kasy, and Mindy! Check your emails!

Last week was unusually busy, and I was tired. My normal running days schedule went out the window completely, but not the miles. I love that with running you can decide when to run, determine your pace, choose your course, and think about whatever you want. 

TrainingTruth: Running gives you freedom

THURS: This was my first workout of the week. I laced up my shoes with trepidation about how it was going to go after "resting" for five days. I decided to run on the treadmill (just in case) and choose a 6x800 workout. Other than initially flip-flopping the order of run/recover, I felt pretty good. I'm still doubting the pace of my treadmill, but going by effort I feel like I did a good interval run.

FRI: I don't usually run two days in a row (I fear injury), but with an unexpected snow day, I couldn't resist. This gave me a chance to catch up on the miles I lost at the beginning of the week. Since there was a snow storm going on, I choose the treadmill again and just ran. I didn't go with a planned distance or pace or workout. I just ran. When I felt like stopping, I did.

SUN: We pushed our Saturday long run to Sunday. This was our final long run before the NYC Half Marathon. Since Central Park has hills, lots of rolling hills, we chose a long route that also had some hills. It felt really good to get back outside. I was worried about how my legs would feel, but my conservative approach to hills seems to be working. I still get winded, but my legs are holding up better.

  
Since we're talking hills, I saw this on Pinterest. 

                                                         Source: Uploaded by user via Kelly on Pinterest

Which reminded me of this tweet.

Don't think of them as hills, think of them as "mounds of opportunity." #TrainingTruths

— Amy C. (@RunningEscapade) November 18, 2012

What does running give you?

#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to assess ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.

To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:

1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments

I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!

TrainingTruths: NYC Half Marathon Week 5

Last week I continued my training for the New York City Half Marathon (just 5 weeks away) and participated in another fun run with family and friends. It was a week of cold and sometimes snowy weather, but I managed to complete my training runs with a little creativity.

I received a lot of positive feedback about the Chilly Challenge. Thank you for letting me know that you had fun, were motivated, and pushed yourselves to run more than ever. 

#TrainingTruths: It's cold - run anyway!

For Tuesday's run, I asked Daisy if we could do 6.1 instead of our usual 6 miles. I owed 3 #milesofshame to the Runner's Wager Super Bowl Edition and I signed up for Kyle's Krusade Virtual 5K, a fundraiser benefitting the Talbert Family Foundation to help defray the medical costs for families with children fighting cancer. 

Thursday, feeling the need to change things up, we did our old hill route. This one starts out with a relatively flat 1+, but then starts climbing steadily (and sometimes steeply) for 2 miles. Once we make it to the top though, we are rewarded with a mostly downhill finish. When it feels like 16 degrees, I should wear more than my no-show socks. Cold ankles on this one. Maybe wearing compression socks like the one's mentioned in this Runner Click article would work.

On Friday I couldn't resist taking a little birthday pre-blizzard run with the dog. It was just to the local pond and my husband followed in the car taking some great pictures. Although we didn't see other runners, I could see shoe prints from someone who ran the out and back before us. 

Our normal Saturday long run was snowed out, so we had to reschedule. Since we were running the Snowflake Shuffle, a three mile fun run, on Sunday, we decided to meet early and do a few pre-race miles. At 12 degrees, my toes were cold until about halfway through a pre-race warmup. 

How did the weather affect your training last week?

#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to assess ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.

To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:

1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments

I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!

TrainingTruths: NYC Plans

Training for the New York City Half Marathon has officially started. In a short nine weeks, I will be lacing up my Mizunos and readying myself for a running tour of Manhattan. My running has been in maintenance mode since the Manchester City in November, so my training plan for NYC is really just upping the mileage on my long runs. 

#TrainingTruth: I plan to be running for as long as I can and have no plans to stop - Frank Shorter

A busted water heater at Daisy's (sorry chick) led to a cancelled run date, so I went home for a runch (lunch run) with my husband. The weather was a cool 42 degrees, so I pulled out the Nike capris and matched my Mizuno Wave Rider 15 Limited Editions to my new pink Nike thermal top. We enjoyed a quiet unplanned run. 

Thursday's six mile run after school served up some challenges. First we had melting snow puddles to dodge, followed by slippery sidewalks and some strong headwinds. At the end my Wave Inspire 8s looked like they been on a trail run. 

We took our Saturday morning long run to downtown Manchester. The heavy fog at the start never dissipated and was even joined by some drizzle. Our run ended at Baked, a new local cafe, where we ordered fresh fruit smoothies with a shot of protein as our reward.

My goal for the week was to do a walking workout on my rest days. Walking workouts have many benefits for runners. It keeps leg muscles loose, alleviates soreness after a tough run, and helps maintain good circulation. For me it's about elevating my heart rate to burn as many fat calories as possible, and I can add my miles to the Chilly Challenge for my team.

Are you in maintenance or training mode?

If training, what are your training for?

Chilly Challenge Reminder: Log your miles for Team Escapades!