The Dress Rehearsal

We are less than 3 weeks out from the 2024 TCS NYC Marathon (insert panic emoji here). Admittedly, I'm starting to enter my usual manic state, obsessing over every detail (running and non-running related). And generally in workout overload. I just can't stop moving. Since my last post, I have tackled a 14, 16, and 18 mile long run successfully and injury free. This past weekend was the "dress rehearsal", the Staten Island Half. Rob and I went through the motions - the packing, the train, the hotel, the meal prep, the ferry. It's weird to say "Rob and I" as I have sucked him into my world (or maybe he's just trying to run away FROM me).

We learned a few things during our rehearsal. Most of these things I knew already, but it was a good slap in the face reminder. Some were new considerations for Rob altogether. We always overdo it - adding unnecessary stops and obligations. We thought it was a good idea to lug my bicycle into Manhattan because it needed a repair. On the surface, not a big deal. But added some time and logistic pressure that should have been avoided. Our dinner was lack-luster and disappointing, and even a touch too late with slow service. Despite having the hotel, we did not get a good night sleep. We tried a new hotel to be closer to the ferry - specific to this Half, and we didn't like it. Not a big deal for one night, but can certainly ruin the vibe for 3 nights leading up to a marathon. 

The next morning, we left plenty of time to get to the ferry, but it wasn't enough. The terminal was crowded. We didn't get on the boat that was just departing and had to wait for the next one. Rob was Wave 1 - 8am and I was Wave 2 - 8:30am. We both had to use the bathroom again. When we finally arrived in Staten Island, Rob just had enough time to take off his sweatshirt and run to his corral. Keep in mind this was only a small race of 9,000 runners, and the corrals were right next to the ferry terminal. The marathon will be 55,000 runners, 5 waves, 2 million spectators, and major road closures. 

The morning of the marathon we need to take a subway to the ferry, the ferry to Staten Island, then a bus to Fort Wadsworth. With no issues at all, it's about a 3 hour journey. They DO run more ferries that day, it was a constant flow last year. But regardless, this snags during this experience left is a little uneasy and paranoid. 

Net-Net: There are so many things out of your control for a race that would be normally be in your control during training.  

During the race, neither of us were happy with our clothes. I was ridiculously hot from the second I started running. I cannot physically wear less clothing besides just my sports bra, but then I have no where to pin my bib. I've tried about 25 shirts and it feels too late to make a change now. I'm wondering if making some adjustments to my existing shirt could help, but would still need to test that out again. For Rob it was less about temperature and more about being uncomfortable - his shirt was rubbing in all the wrong places. 

But lots of things DID go well. Really well in fact. 

We spent time together and had some little moments walking around Seaport. Looking at old ships, fresh produce and flowers, getting a really good coffee, talking to some dude on his motorcycle, playing our favorite game "spot the Italians". And we got to catch-up with Kara and Amanda after the race on Sunday for brunch. 

We ran well - and at the end of the day, that's what matters. Even if we were suffering during it (though it would be great to prevent as much of that suffering in advance as possible). 

Rob set a new Half PR of 1:44:48 and I set a new course PR of 2:14:05, significantly beating both of my times from 2022 and 2023. I had planned on taking it slow but was able to keep up with the 2:10 pacer for 2/3 of the course. Once I was approaching the Verrazzano though, I felt myself slowing and her cadence was no longer mine. I knew there were a bunch of giant hills ahead and pushing to keep up with her wasn't going to end well for me. So I let her go - and ran my own race until the end. 

The views under the Verrazzano and the Manhattan skyline were simply breathtaking. You feel so small next to them, but also so big at the same time. It was a weird paradox - none of this matters, all of this matters. I think the thing about running that people don't truly understand is that it's not really about running at all. It's about humanity. It's about struggle and triumph. 

This week I will take on my last long-run - 20 miles. It will take me a little less than 4 hours and I will definitely be taking it slow. Last year I ran this with my friend Megan. This year, I'm not sure yet if it's going to be a solo venture. Then I will have a 2 week taper with much lighter running and activity overall. I think normal people call it REST. 

As we approach November 3rd...

Hopefully the temperature starts to cool down.
Hopefully we figure out our clothing issues.
Hopefully we find more of those little moments to remind us about the humanity of running. 

See you in 3 weeks Staten Island for the "full show".

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

We are officially 6 weeks out from the 2024 NYC Marathon. Most folks have the bulk of their training behind them with maybe 1-2 more long runs to go. Meanwhile I have spent the past 4 weeks aggressively catching up. There has been very little rest for the wicked. 

Initially, I leaned heavily into cycling to keep up my fitness in a safer way - less lateral movement, low impact, not putting weight on my ankle. I did a 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17 mile bike ride to mimic what would have been my long runs. 

BUT on August 16th, I was cleared to run. Happy birthday to me. The following Monday, I took my first few steps - ankle wrapped, 1 minute walking, 1 minute "running". It was painful both mentally and physically. But this was not my first rodeo with injury, so I also knew what to expect. It was wobbly, it was slow, but I got through it. Two days later I gave it another go. Then another - for a longer distance. By the next week I unwrapped my ankle and did my first true run - a 5K. It wasn't pretty, but the muscle memory did come back to me. One foot in front of the other. Literally!

So where am I now 4 weeks later? I took some pretty big jumps after that. 6 miles, 8 miles, 10 miles, and 12 miles as of last week. This week I will tackle my 14 miles. I wasn't kidding when I said no rest. From this point on, my progression is only upward. It has to be...with such a crunched timeline.

But I have to admit, reinjury is top of mind. And the odds feel really high. I've been trying to protect myself the best I can with the timing of my runs, my slower pace, and making sure I cap-end the long runs with true rest or active recovery. There is no room for error in this plan. I'm also keeping an eye on my reoccurring IT band issue - the slower pace is good mitigation to that for now.

As I've got back to running, I've also been able to return to running with my running club on some mornings. There's something about like-minded people commiserating about challenges, failures, and triumphs that is extremely comforting. People who may look different than you, but speak the same "language" as you. Their support has been unwavering.

This past week, I made an uneasy return to CrossFit. Yes, I'm scared. But I need the cross-training to help my running. And I missed the feeling of the metal barbell on my hands too much. In the end, CrossFit will always be my "first love". My fitness impetus. But as my goals have shifted over time, and frankly, as I get older, the way I approach the activity is likely going to continue to be more supplemental and cautious. As long as running is the priority, I'll never be able to give 100% at CrossFit. 

This is my current mix until the marathon:

• CrossFit
• Short Run
• HIIT
• Short Bike
• Long Run
• REST
• Long Bike

As I continue my long-run progression from 14, 16, 18, 20 - Rob and I have the Staten Island Half smacked right between the 18 and 20 miler. This will be the true "test" of how I operate in a race setting. 

Praying for good rest, a steady pace, and a solid time to help boost my confidence in my body's ability to perform.

Welp! I messed that up!

I cannot stress enough how much my body refuses to be who I want it to be (said mostly in  jest and in the spirit of self-deprecation). 

Everything has been going incredibly well on the fitness front for me these past few months. Lots of PRs across activities! So much consistency and dedication! Even Italy was a success. I dined! I wined! I ran and used the gym! 2024 NYC Marathon here I come...

Then I got hurt. Welp! I messed that good streak up didn't I?

The next morning after coming back from our Italy trip, I went to an early morning CrossFit class (July 15). Honestly, I did not feel particularly tired or jetlagged. I even had a good night sleep. During class, we did a great warm-up so I felt prepared. The actual WOD involved box jumps, which I don't do anymore because of all my ankle and IT band injuries (you'll see...but LOL). No problem, I've been doing step-ups for years now (same box height, no jumping up, but I do jump down). It's challenging enough for my needs without risking getting hurt.

What happened makes NO sense to me. This is a movement that I have done in some fashion for 10+ years now. I know the mechanics, the risks, how to land - all of it. At the very end of the WOD, after my last rep, I remember looking up at the clock while standing on the box to check my finish time. I remember making eye contact with the coach and doing some kind of head nod or thumbs up that I finished. Then I don't remember exactly what I did next. I fell off the box....and all my weight went onto my right ankle (haha! Not the usual one I sprain, a newbie!)

Was the adrenaline hiding my fatigue and my leg cramped or gave out causing me to fall off the box? Did I misstep? Did I lose my balance? Did I try to jump down and misjudged something? Another peer nearby later told me that it almost looked like I crumbled off the box. Everyone agreed that it was bizarre.

As soon as it happened, I knew it was really bad. This is not my first rodeo. I felt immediate sharp pain. Swelling within minutes. Bruising within hours. Even more swelling that night. Of course I followed protocol right away: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. I was seen by my trusty doc a few days later as well once the swelling went down a bit to assess the damage and get an actual diagnosis. Grade 2 sprain in 2 places (joy!) -  I sprained the calcaneofibular and posterior talofibular ligaments.

So what does this mean for the marathon? Mind you - I was 1/4 through my training when this happened. So about 4 weeks into a 16 week plan. 

I haven't run in 3 weeks which really sucks, especially for my mental health. I was a little ahead with my training, but the window of that advantage has now closed. I just started biking this week because I'm now able to lock out my ankle mostly pain-free and push a pedal. The goal is to now replace what was on the schedule for a long run with biking (e.g. 14 miles running becomes 14 miles biking).

I have also been doing mini WODS involving rounds of seated dumbbell press, kneeling push-ups, and sit-ups from home. There are not many things that don't use your ankle or that are not weight bearing on your feet! I've also been paying more attention to nutrition and supplements to help the healing process along.

This sprain feels different than the past. It's hard to put into words, but I feel different. The sprain feels different. At this point, I'm trying not to be too depressingly pessimistic or naively optimistic though. I'm still in the early stage of this injury to really know what my next steps in terms of events will be (no pun intended).

OK - I lied. Let's speculate. I think the absolute best case scenario is that I start running the last week of August. And when I say running, I mean first steps. 1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles max. Forget about pace (what is pace...what is life). 

Then I start ramping up with 8 weeks to go until the marathon (that's actually disgusting to even write down - 8 weeks!) 

• What does the first long run look like? 
• How far do I train until? (is the final "long" 16, 18, 20 miles?)
• How much rest do I give myself between long runs now that I'm on an expediated timeline?
• How do I play catch-up while simultaneously not risk re-injury?
• What's my cut off point of deciding if I need to defer? (insert crying emoji here) 

Per usual, the Staten Island Half (October 13) will be a good test. Damn that race. Because of it's timing, it has literally been a "test" for me every year for various reasons.

There's a lot to unpack here. Getting hurt sucks. The way I got hurt feels particularly dumb. The timing is awful (couldn't this have happened December through May!) It's difficult to explain to people how the running world revolves around events. It's really no different the seasons of various sports. All the work you put into your craft is for the events and the races. And then there's the whole aspect that much of what I specifically do is not just "sign up, anyone can do it". So there's also all the time, money, resources that have been put into earning those entries and invitations. 

All of this to say - I'm sorry that I'm constantly complaining! Just remember: 

YOU TOO can get off the couch, strive for a healthy lifestyle, and be hurt all the time just like me (also said in jest, but only sort of). 

It's about to get real

These past few weeks after the Brooklyn Half can only be described as madness. While I don't have any races planned for the summer, marathon training has officially begun.  You may be wondering what have I been up to exactly. Shit is about to get real.

• Hitting those long runs every week - most recently a 12 miler (where a man named Camilo tried to kill me with his faster pace!). I did this same method last year - keeping that "Brooklyn base" going until marathon training begins. I believe it served me well and created some nice buffers in my training plan, so here we are rinse and repeat for 2024!
  
  
• Participated in Murph 2024 (CrossFit) - I've lost track on how many years I've done it now. It's truly one of my favorite events and such a great benchmark of personal fitness and mental grit. This year I clocked in at 01:06:59. The push-ups absolutely killed me! After the first 100, I was doing singles to get through the next 100 - it was a huge time suck! But the squats and the end cap runs felt great.
  
  
• Have really enjoyed lifting without 'fear' - as Brooklyn was getting closer and I was experiencing my usual nagging issues, I was definitely holding back. Eye on the prize, it wasn't worth any risks. The past few weeks I've been able to push a littler harder during CrossFit WODs. While I know it will be short lived as marathon training is about to ramp up, it was nice to feel a little stronger. There was a specific WOD that really sticks out in my head that was a mix of running sprints and one heavy lift. It was super short - under 10 minutes. I'm always last or close to last in my class, but this was the first time EVER that I was the first to finish. It combined two things I was good at in a digestible format which allowed me to shine. 
  
  
• Switched jobs - this is a pretty big one. Especially when it comes to my schedule. I will be in Manhattan 3 days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays). This was my first week of commuting. While only 3 days, this is a huge change from fully remote. When it comes to my training schedule, it has a big impact since the city days are sequential. I have to completely rethink my schedule with lots of new constraints and considerations.
  
  

The first two problems are interrelated - which day for my long run and which day for CrossFit? CrossFit is dependent on a class schedule that I don't set. My current leaning is to do my long runs on Monday early mornings A) since I am home and not commuting B) because if I get zero exercise on my commuting days, at least they can be seen as recovery days from the long run.

That means I'll be aiming to do CrossFit on Fridays now - the other day I am home. For the summer that will be a 5:15am or 7am class since I still need to be home in time to help with the kids' routine. Once my youngest begins Kindergarten in September, I'll have a little more flexibility there. 

So what about my two short runs and one cycling day - where do those fit in? I haven't quite figured that out yet. Working out before the commute is not realistic. I'm already waking up at 5am to make the train. Working out after the commute feels dismal. Energy low and it's the only time I will briefly see my kids. Working out at the office is an option. There is a gym. And I'm located right on the Highline as well which is great for short runs. But I don't have a sense of how to manage that yet. Timing. Showers. Etiquette. Remember, my previous "office" experience was working for a fitness company. Different vibes. Of my 3 city days, do I just try to hit the middle day of Wednesday and stay a little later?

In summary, working out (and training) Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (and NOT Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) does not make any sense. But that's the only reality I can see right now.

Patience

Faith

Give it time

Give yourself grace

I know it will all work out. I always find a way. It just feels like puzzle right now and a bit of a whirlwind. Especially since these life changes happened so quickly and somewhat unexpectedly.

While my focus will be on marathon training these next few months, there are also some races in the fall that will play a role in the overall story:

• October 13 - Staten Island Half
• November 2 - Abbott Dash 5K
• November 3 - NYC Marathon (of course)
• December 7 - Ted Corbitt 15K

We leave for Italy this coming Saturday and will be traveling there the first two weeks of July. These will definitely be "step back" weeks for me, but I plan to stay as active as possible (to offset the gelato, pizza, and pasta of course). It's going to be brutally hot there and I won't have access to much equipment other than my feet and bodyweight. My goal is pretty simple - workout every other day. And try to get two 6 mile runs in while there (one for each week). Hoping Rob and I can find a groove to help each other achieve this goal like we did on our last London-Paris trip. Just replace the croissants with other carbs. 

Giving yourself grace

I was expecting to be writing a different kind of post from the couch the day after the Brooklyn Half, legs sore and toes beaten. I expected to write about a remarkable experience. Hitting my goal time. And a great performance. Unfortunately, it wasn't my day. The stars were not aligned. 

Thinking back a few weeks, there were surely some red flags to why I crumbled on the course. It's actually not surprising at all that I didn't hit my goal. 

I started feeling some pain in my hip-leg about two weeks ago after my 10 mile long run. My old nagging IT band injury. I acted quickly and thoroughly to address it. The next week, I did another 10 mile run and felt pretty good after. Until I spent the majority of daughter's First Communion on my feet in poor shoes during my recovery period. The pain came back. I also haven't been sleeping well. And some other things going on in life keeping me quite on edge (even for me!)

Nevertheless, I actually felt good on race day. The 7 days prior, I was icing my leg religiously, taking supplements, resting from all activity besides walking, and got treatment. 

Rob and I arrived in Brooklyn on Friday and made our way to the expo to pick up our bibs. It was really special to share this experience with him for the first time - as he was running as well through a lucky lottery entry. I enjoyed snapping photos, beaming with pride, knowing he was going to put down a killer time the next day - with little effort. He's a natural. An anomaly. 

The Brooklyn Half Expo is one of a kind. It's a true pre-party event with live music round the clock, food trucks, craft beer, and lots of running amenities. The view from DUMBO is breathtaking and the vibe is magical. I wish the NYC Marathon Expo was like this! 

While we were fortunate enough to be able to stay overnight in a hotel, we still didn't get enough sleep. Work, nerves, and too much running around on Friday evening. Nothing out of the norm for us, but took a larger compounding toll this time. When our alarm clock went off at 5am, we both moaned and cringed. Brutal. Out the door by 5:30am to take the subway down to Prospect Park.

Rob was in Wave 1, Corral H and I was in Wave 2, Corral C. Sadly, we had to separate pretty soon after arriving because they organized the corrals differently this year than years past which required an earlier and more strict holding pattern. With the goal of having a more organized, safer, and better experience for all runners. This being my third year at this particular event, I didn't notice a big difference. Rob said he felt like he was in the right spot, so maybe it was better for the faster runners to have a little more breathing room.

Before we split, we met up with a bunch of Milltown Runners from Patchogue, and then divided into two groups based on our corrals. Rob went with the majority of them in Wave 1, in addition to meeting up with my friend Will in his corral H. Me and two other Milltown women had a later start time in Wave 2 - as well as three different corral letters from each other. We had plenty of time to get coffee, fuel, hydrate, and use the bathroom one last time. 

When I got into my corral, the energy was buzzing. The corral went silent for the national anthem and wildly cheered at the line "land of the free". There was a woman next to me from London who ran the NYC Marathon this past fall just like me, as well as London and Boston. She also has entry into Chicago this year. She was asking me about the Brooklyn course as she had never done it before. I told her miles 1-7 in the park were the hardest part, and then once you break free from that it's easy sailing down Ocean Parkway to Coney Island. Foreshadowing...as I ate my words soon after!

So my Half Marathon PR was 2:12:18, which happens to be Brooklyn 2023 from last year. I have been consistently running closer to a 9 minute pace the last 6 months. I've held it for a 5k, then a 10k, then a 15k. It was completely feasible that I could hit that for a Half Marathon as well. 

My goal was to shatter that and hit 2:05:00. Which meant I needed to hold a 9:30 pace. Meaning...I gave myself 30 seconds of leeway from what I knew I could run. A very realistic goal. In my head, I was thinking I could even hit the 2 hour mark if I really was feeling good.

Good news - I did set a new PR of 2:10:59

Bad news - obviously, I did not a hit 2:05:00. I was nearly 6 minutes off.

So what went wrong? Just take a look at my pace analysis. Miles 1-4 were perfect. Spot on. Then I hit the big hill between miles 5-6 and had a little slow down - totally expected and not even that bad. Then I broke free out of the thickness of the park onto Ocean Parkway - just a straight shot down to Coney Island now. Very flat. It should have felt easy. But as you can see, I started to lose my pace...9:43, 9:59, 10:49 !!!

I was holding on for dear life. 

I can tell you that every step I took was torture. I was running at max effort. And every time I stared down at my watch, I was getting slower and slower. It didn't feel real. 

And the truth is, even though I hit those first few miles perfectly. I knew at the start of the race that something was off. I didn't have my usual adrenaline. Sure, I was happy to be there. But something never kicked in. I just couldn't find a groove. I was uncomfortable from the first step I took. The air felt thick. It was much hotter than I thought it was going to be. The cloud coverage broke away to blazing sun. I was thirsty by the first water station - dehydrated even. Once you feel dehydrated, it's already too late. I had a GU gel around mile 6 and it made my stomach turn. Also very strange. OH - and I had to pee within the first ten minutes. Even though I had just gone. So I held it in until I just couldn't hold it anymore and used a potty at mile 10. It was the quickest 27 seconds of my life (no really, I timed it). But argh what a waste of time and a terrible head game.

Then around mile 12, my leg started to hurt. Which also brought on a great deal of PTSD and anxiety around 2022 Brooklyn incident at the same exact spot on the course. Not a coincidence. Max fatigue. I had to choke back some tears to run past "the spot" and then felt relieved once I physically passed it, confirming that I was indeed not cursed. 

So when I say the stars were not aligned that day for me, I think it's safe to say the stars were in fact MISALIGNED!

I did smile at the end. Apparently. NYRR got a candid photo of me seconds after getting my medal. So there's evidence that I was at least somewhat happy. 

I know, I know. You think I'm nuts. But can you imagine working that hard for a year. Running a full marathon. Hitting all your training runs. Running at max effort...to only take ONE single minute off your previous time? That would drive anyone mad. 

I think there's a lesson in all of this. I haven't quite figured it out yet. Let me know if you figure it out first!

I think it's something about "giving yourself grace".

It was a bad day.
I have a lot going on outside of running.
Despite all that - I STILL set a PR.
Even if it's not as big of a jump as I wanted.
I'm still always improving.
I'm not going backwards. 

And...there's always next year. I'm coming for you Brooklyn 2025 (insert deranged emoji here). As I told our friend Maggie, it's either running or hard drugs. So be happy I picked running. 

The Year of the PRs

A new year has brought a new set of goals. 2024 is feeling particularly lucky to me. After a series of missteps (both literally and figuratively) and the general feeling of pending doom that I carry around like a weight on my shoulder, this year feels different. I'm not one to believe in miracles or luck. I think half of life is chance and the other half is determined by the choices we make. We determine our own destiny. 

As I sit here writing this from my hotel room, just a stone throw away from the Boston Marathon course, the night before the 128th most prestigious marathon in the world - I can't help but feel...well, lucky. 

Early in the year, I accepted my invitation to the run the NYC Marathon again this November 2024. This entry was earned from all the races and volunteering I did last year in 2023.

I've also been tackling my 9+1 status this year in a much more aggressive and expedient manner than years past. By mid-May after the Brooklyn Half, I will already have 6 races completed. My next race in NYC will not be until the Staten Island Half in October. A pretty long "break" in the summer months. In some ways, it feels good to be ahead of the game. But at the same time, some of the winter races (which were new for me) were not as enjoyable as I would have liked. They involved extremely early morning treks into the city - usually in the dark and very cold. 

I did enjoy the Manhattan 10k in February though because a friend kindly had my bib and hot coffee waiting for me near Central Park. Later in the month at the Al Gordon 4-Miler in Brooklyn, I unexpectedly ran into someone I know from my running club, the Milltown Runners, and we chatted the whole way into the city and back. 

In March, Rob joined me for his first time to run one of my favorites in upper Manhattan - the Washington Heights Salsa, Blues, and Shamrocks 5K. It's a beautiful course - uphill through the heights, with a beautiful view at the top through Fort Tryon, and then a sweeping downhill back to the Armory on 168th Street. This is not an easy 5K course. But somehow...I got lucky! I set a new PR for my 5K at 27:58, beating my previous record of 28:37 from the 2021 Abbott Dash. I can't believe after all I have been through, I can still shave time off a race. And quite honestly, and maybe even arrogantly, it feels like this is only the beginning for me. 

In early April, I ran the Run As One JP Morgan 4-Miler in Central Park with two other women from the Milltown Runners. Again, it was such a game-changer not to be alone in my crazy pursuits. Being around likeminded people who enjoyed talking about running as much as I did was refreshing. I haven't run this particular race since 2019 when I was pregnant with Gio (44:37) in the pouring rain with Fred and Kara (still one of my favorite photos ever taken with our grumpy faces!) This time - I ran an outstanding 8:50  pace with a finish of 36:25. Amazing. Lucky. 

Just last weekend, my daughter and I ran a 5K together sponsored by our local YMCA. It was cold and windy out by the water, but Pietra persevered! I had to do a lot of verbal encouraging along the way, especially explaining to her that we can do so much more than our minds allow us to believe. For those have seen the movie Luca, I borrowed "Silenzio Bruno!" as our race mantra. As much as that was for little legs, I think she liked the taste of accomplishment at the end. I have no doubt that I will be running a lot more side-by-side with my daughter in the near future. I'm so lucky to be her Mom.

But the luck continues - wait there's more! I have earned entry into the Brooklyn Half on May 18, the biggest Half Marathon in the United States. They let a small amount of runners into this race every year via lottery entry to help diversify the running course. We (I) threw Rob's name into the hat...and he got it! He was pretty mad at first, but I think he's excited to see what he can do. The thing is, Rob has natural talent. Given how hard I work, it's both exhilarating and infuriating at the same time. He's going to crush this course and set an amazing first Half finish time. My prediction is 01:50. 

This is ALSO my year to make Brooklyn my stand-out performance. It's not going to be the marathon, I'm being realistic. That goal is much more realistic (more to come on that later). My goal is get my Half time from the current PR of 2:12:18 - much closer to the 2 hour mark. I have enough Half experiences under my belt at this point where this totally feasible. It's going to come down to a few things.

I need to run between a 9:00-9:30 pace ✔️ 

I already proved that I can do this for 9 miles at Ted Corbitt in December, for 3 miles in Washington Heights in March, and for 4 miles Run as One in April. But can I hold it for 13 miles in Brooklyn this May?

Remaining injury free until May ✔️

My hip-leg IT band thingy started acting up again recently. But I took action quickly. Rested. Treatment. And seemed to be through the worst of it. I have to be really careful as it's always looming around the corner ready to show itself.

Pray for good weather ✔️

This will be my third go at Brooklyn and the weather has notoriously been extreme. During my infamous 2022 attempt when I got seriously hurt, it was 90 degrees (a runner died!) Last year in 2023, it was down-pouring buckets of rain.

And most obviously - ramping up my long runs these next few weeks ✔️

Since I've maintained a healthy base all winter, this has not been challenging physically. Finding time is a different story. But I confidently know what to do in order to ramp up to 13 miles.

My marathon ambitions this year are much more humble and simple. I'd like to hit the finish time I was supposed to hit last year. I should have run a sub 5 hour marathon. I trained to run a sub 5 hour marathon. Repeat after me - "I am not going to run the first 13 miles too fast this year! I'm going to watch my pace. I'm not going to slow down in the second half because I burned up all my energy too quickly." In other words, my goal for the 2024 NYC Marathon is to slow the fuck down...in order to finish faster.

But just in case this wasn't enough PRs, goals, and luck for 2024 yet...I did something crazy. Like really bad guys. The NYC Marathon also lets a small sliver of lottery entries onto the course. This year had a record breaking 165,000 applicants worldwide and they only accepted a fraction - 6,000 people. Somehow...Rob's name made it into the lottery. Somehow, the son of a bitch got this one too! 

Here's the best part: this year, the 2024 NYC Marathon happens to fall on our wedding anniversary - November 3rd. 

We should play the lotto or something right? 

So while I'm manifesting this year to be the year of PRs for me personally, I also managed to build meaningful new relationships through Milltown. My kids are taking an interest in running with me. And I gained a new running spouse - by brute force. I'm already beaming with pride of what I know he can accomplish (with my forceful push). 

I'm looking forward to cheering my friend Kristen tomorrow in the city that shaped me, the city the represents the first time I left home, the city that will always be a giant piece of my heart (and the reason I say "wicked"). I am so proud of her accomplishments as a runner, an athlete, as badass woman, and most importantly - as human being who worked really hard. I am so blessed to have her in my life and her spirit inspires me daily. 

As I sit here in bed, almost midnight - with the Boston Marathon course right outside my window, I have to admit there's small sparkle in my eye. A tiny flame igniting in my heart. And this feeling that I can't shake - perhaps one day, Boston might be calling me as well. 

Best Day of My Life

On November 5th, 2023, I came out the other side of the most difficult thing I have ever physically (maybe even mentally) accomplished. After many years of dreaming, training and failed attempts: I finally ran the NYC Marathon. It was worth the wait. I couldn't have been more ready than I was in that moment. As painful as some moments felt, every step leading up to 2023 was a learning opportunity for me. I learned about pain, injury, my body, and most of all - my potential. When I got into the corral the morning of November 5th, I had no doubts that I could run the marathon. I had completed my 20 mile long run 3 weeks prior, and I knew I had enough stamina and knowledge to finish successfully. How quickly or how slowly I completed was a different story! More to come on that. 

It was seriously the best day of my life. Full stop. It was also a giant party. I also really enjoyed taking everyone on my journey through my detailed social media updates. I was shocked about the outpouring of love and support I received. Often from the most unexpected people. I had a bunch of people reach out who I haven’t spoken to in 20+ years that were rooting for me. I'm talking acquaintances and old classmates who didn’t congratulate me on my wedding, the birth of my children, but were like... “woah NYC marathon”. That makes me chuckle. 

Rob and I were in the city the days prior for several events. Before I left the house on Thursday, I did my normal 6am run with the Milltown Runners, but treated it as a last “shakeout run”. A few of us were running the marathon on Sunday, so it was nice to have a group sendoff and chat some last minute logistics.

Then I headed into the city to volunteer as a translator at the Javits Center and pick up my bib and race materials. Once Rob joined me, we did the full expo experience including some photo ops, checking out new running products, and buying new orange socks for me – that was on my shopping list! I also participated in some more “community” based activities like signing a giant banner that was on display at the finish line. That was super cool to see a few days later.

On Friday, we went to Opening Ceremony for the first time – basically an Olympic style parade of countries and running clubs. We sat next to a large group of energetic supporters from Brazil in the grandstand, which was super fun. We should all approach life with their level of enthusiasm for sport. The ceremony concluded with fireworks over Central Park which felt both magical and ominous at the same time, thinking about the task ahead.

On Saturday, we continued our tradition of running the “marathon pre-race”, the Abbott Dash 5K, with Rob’s cousins Fred and Kara. I always use this race as a PR opportunity (in fact, Abbott 2021 was my fastest 5K to date). But had to force every bone in my body to hold back. I could not exert myself the day before the marathon, as much as I wanted to run hard and fast. I held back my adrenaline as much as possible and ran an average 5K pace for me of 00:30:49. 

After the race, I met with a friend I made online over the past year. Also a runner, also NYRR. We kept being at the same races and following each other on Strava. As a more seasoned marathoner, over the past few months, he had become a running mentor to me. So we made it happen! The German drank beer, and sadly I sipped water. 

Then things got crappy. I’m not going to lie. Saturday afternoon and evening were rough. My nerves were getting the best of me. Or maybe my strange high carb diet was making me feel sick. Maybe it was a combination of both, but I felt sick to my stomach. The only way to explain it was that I felt weak, fatigued, and sort of dizzy. The only thing I could think of was steak. I was hardcore craving a red meaty steak. I took this as signal that my body needed protein and iron. Even though that wasn’t on the approved list of items to consume. For note, I was trying to eat a low residue diet that was high on long-lasting carbs to build my reserve for Sunday. Basically, you need to carb load at specific rate for your body weight and expected pace, and avoid anything that could lead to extra body waste on Sunday (e.g., poop as one example). In other words, everything I enjoy eating like vegetables were off the table.

So, I decided to trust my instincts and ate a small serving of steak and greens back at our hotel, prior to our carb heavy pasta meal that was planned later that evening. With every bite, I literally felt energy and life returning to my body. It was crazy, and such a learning moment for future marathons.   

That evening I laid everything out and took the famous “gear photo”. I’ve taken this photo for all my past Halfs, but this was different. It was like triple the gear. It looked like I was going camping! But also, each item was so strategic. Each item represented years of preparation. Trial and error. Each piece was distinctly linked to moments of my training. Funny enough, the thing that stood out to me the most was not the camping gear. It was the fuel. 4 hours prior to the marathon, I was planning on consuming 30 grams of carbs. 2 hours before, another 30 grams. 1 hour before, 30 grams. And then 60 grams every hour I was running through a mix of liquids and solids (in my case, 5 hours of running). It was A LOT of carbohydrates. When I saw it all laid out on the bed the night before, it was daunting how much eating and how much running I needed to do. 

Of course, I didn’t sleep a wink that night. On and off, checking my watch every hour. Finally my alarm went off at 5am for a quick shower, get dressed, load gear, and off to the Staten Island ferry terminal in downtown Manhattan. It was surreal. 

The early morning trek to Staten Island in the morning was ridiculous. Subway, ferry, bus, walking. My wave time was 10:30am. After camping out, waiting, and being held back all morning, there's nothing like the adrenaline of running across the Verrazzano bridge. You try to slow down, but you just can't. When you come off the bridge, you get smacked in the face with a giant block party throughout all of Brooklyn - DJs, live bands, hand-held stereos. Hip-hop, gospel, reggaeton, and bagpipes. Everyone is involved and represents their neighborhood. 

Then there's the solitude and difficult incline of the Queensboro bridge which is a breaking point for many. Only to hear the craziest roar of people waiting in Manhattan on the other side. Like thunder between miles 15-16. The loudest thing I've ever heard in my life. And just when your legs are getting tired, you cross into the Boogie Down Bronx, and those tough people will not let you stop. Back down into Manhattan on 5th Ave through the Harlem jazz. These miles 23-24-25 were the hardest for me. 

Finally some greenery with a turn into Central Park with more flags, languages, and countries than you can possibly imagine. A right turn on West 59th Street for the final stretch. Everything hurts and there's nothing left in the tank, but somehow you cross the finish line. And immediately breakdown emotionally and physically. You're shaking so they cover you with a large orange blanket. You get your medal. It's all very surreal as you enter the post corrals to funnel runners out of the park. The funneling part was an additional 1-2 miles, but honestly very needed. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to anyone (yet). I just needed to BE for a little bit and my legs needed to adjust to walking.

I finished in 05:12:08. I didn’t hit my goal of sub 5 hour, but in that moment I didn’t care. I was just so tired and emotional. Hours later, I started to care. What the heck happened? Where did those extra 12 minutes come from? I had planned my pace mile by mile in an excel sheet! When I looked closer at the post-race analysis, it was pretty clear what went wrong. As everyone does, especially newbies, I went out way too hot on the Verrazzano bridge. And then I was flying about 2-3 minutes faster than my target pace for the first 13 miles. Therefore, as predicted and expected, my pace then plummeted to below my target pace. And continued to get slower and slower. For what it’s worth, from my exertion level, it didn’t feel like I was getting slower! I was pushing and pushing. When I looked closer at the data, my fastest mile was 9:43 and my slowest mile was 12:46. Clearly, I did NOT run negative splits as planned.

I cannot continue with a huge shout-out to my pit crew. I don't think folks truly understand what spectating and helping at this level is like. I've done it pretty much every year since 2015 - and it's A LOT of time, energy, and resources spent. These friends were out there all day for hours, followed my plan exactly to meet me in 5 spots, across 4 boroughs, and took 8 subways. They handed me critical supplies and their enthusiasm helped me get through each chunk of the race. 

This was the message I sent them the night before:

Just wanted to say thanks in advance to everyone making the trek tomorrow ❤️ I know not everyone is a runner and it may be crazy and hard to understand (trust me, I had no clue 10 years ago!) Which makes your commitment even more appreciated. 

We were reminiscing last night that we got married on NYC marathon Sunday 2013. Some friends who were making the trip from MA that morning had a lot of unexpected traffic and road closures, barely made it to the wedding. I had no conception of a marathon, let alone the date! And here I am, 10 years later, running it myself. Spending every waking moment of the past year thinking about it, talking about it, and putting in the hard work. Several years really. 

You guys know this doesn't come easy to me. I'm not naturally athletic. I have to work extra hard to overcome weight, asthma, allergies, pregnancy, postpartum issues, injuries. It wasn't an easy road to get here and there were many bumps and setbacks along the way. 

All of this to say...THANK YOU. Please try to have fun! Please take in all the excitement! I was always very emotional spectating (all these years!) Everyone has a story of why they're out there on the course doing this crazy thing. Try to remember that when you see 55,000 humans run past you. And over 2 million as spectators. 

Love you all ❤️

Can't wait to 🍹🌮🍹🌮... 🍺

My Dad also made a surprise last minute appearance (in the most crowded spot possible - face palm) at the bottom of the Queensboro bridge (see above - thunderous roar of people).

Post marathon: ate tacos (clearly) and drank way too much (obviously). I am proud of myself for immediately prioritizing protein intake as I was walking in the post-corral. I think being disciplined in that moment when more eating was the last thing on my mind had positive effects later in the evening and the next morning...especially given my poor celebration behavior that followed!

GODDAMN were the stairs difficult on Monday morning. Interestingly mostly going down the stairs instead of up the stairs. Especially the subway! I was even more sore on Tuesday, hobbling around the house. And my toes were majorly messed up - bruises, blisters, ongoing nail issues. By Wednesday I was feeling better. And on Thursday I went for my first run with the Milltown Runners - it felt great! Great training led to solid (and quick) recovery. 

Reflecting back now nearly 2 months later, I've been keeping busy! Busy enough not to think too hard! After many months of training, some of my time had to immediately shift back to prioritizing other areas I was neglecting, and in perfect time with the upcoming holidays. I've also been staying very active, but at a much lower intensity. Even lower than I would like, but somewhat needed for better budgeting of time...and honestly, healing. Especially those toes!

My current schedule looks something like this: 

• Short Run (3-4 miles)
• CrossFit
• Bike (30 minutes)
• Short Run (3-4 miles)
• HIIT (mix of bike + at home weights)
• Longer Run (6-8 miles)
• 1 Rest Day (usually after the longer run)

Last winter, I maintained a base of 6 mile long run every week, and it made a huge difference when I started training for the Brooklyn Half in the spring. This winter, I'm trying to push that a tiny bit more by keeping a base of 6-8 mile long run. This was easier throughout November and early December, but was more difficult to make time for near Christmas. I'm hoping to get back on track soon! And closer to the 8 mile threshold!

On December 2nd, I had my last NYRR race of the year - the Ted Corbitt 10K in Central Park. This was my third time running it and I had set a difficult PR goal of 1:30:00. This is an excellent race distance and course to set a PR. I did not hit my exact goal, but I did shave several minutes off previous years. I gave it my max effort and left nothing in the tank, so this definitely felt like a victory.

2021: 1:35:40

2022: 1:35:49

2023: 1:31:30

 

As the marathon excitement fades and more time passes by, I cannot help be left with an itching void inside. I thought the marathon would fill a certain existing void. But similar to depression, it's back, knocking on my door again. More to come on that another day in another post. 

For now, thinking about 2024. I already qualified with marathon entry because of all my work in 2023. If you asked me immediately after the marathon, I would have told you that I had planned to defer my entry to another year. THAT WAS A LIE. I am absolutely running it again this year in 2024.

Not all addictions are bad, right?