Race Week!

It's race week! I'm actually nervous too, it's a double header weekend for me! The Brooklyn Half will be first up on Saturday morning, and then on Sunday morning the Tunnels 2 Towers Stair Climb!! My legs will be dead by Sunday afternoon!

It will be my 13th half marathon Saturday! And yes I still get nervous before each one! I always know I can finish, but I always get nervous of what could go wrong along the way. My main fear is usually my plantar fasciitis  pain, in the past I could run through it, but after marathon training, the pain has gotten more intense. I do my best to stretch, ice, and roll it, but some runs are totally fine, and then there are others where it rears its ugly  head, and leaves me feeling weak and challenged. As of late its been ok, I did run 11 miles two weeks ago, and managed to survive so I'm hopeful it will be ok in Brooklyn! I'm also pacing with my friends for this half, with the goal of finishing in under 3 hours, so that Amy (@theawesomemom on IG) will get her PR. Finishing in under 3 is easy for me, but I'm nervous because I hope and pray I can help Amy get that PR, I don't want to let her down, so I hope everything is on our side race morning, and that we can push to the finish she deserves!

Now the stair climb Sunday isn't my first, but it will be the most steps I've taken on, and the first time I'll be doing an event like this the day after a half marathon! I honestly did not realize that both events were in the same weekend til after I was registered! So I know usually how sore my body is the day after a half, and that stairs are the most difficult to maneuver the days after! 1,970 steps and 90 floors is definitely going to be a challenge come Sunday morning! But all I'm telling myself is that the finish time doesn't matter its the finish line that's the main goal and priority! Plus I raised money for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which will use the funds towards improved homes for disabled vets and first responder families, so when my legs feel like giving up, I have to tell myself that I can do it!

I always try to prep right before race week, with tapering, and carb loading, but as usual that never happens! This week is so jammed packed for me I'll be lucky if I get enough sleep by Saturday night! So with 3 days away, my goals are to carb up at dinner today and tomorrow, get as much water in as I can, and sleep when I can!!

Tomorrow I will be heading to the Brooklyn Half pre party, by New Balance, so I will try to post before Saturday about it! I hope I get to see my running family, and take some fun pictures by the Brooklyn Bridge! I was supposed to volunteer too tomorrow at the pre party, but unexpectedly some work stuff came up so I can't do it, maybe next year! And on Friday I'll be getting my bib for the stair climb too! Lots of exciting stuff this weekend, so look out for some posts early next week about them!! Til then..xoxo!!

Totally loved the life sized medals at the expo!!!! #tcsnycmarathon #5boroughs #queens #brooklyn #bronx #statenisland #nyc #nycmarathon #runhappynyc #memories #nosleeptilnov2

Today is a New Day

On Saturday, May 17th, I ran in the Brooklyn Half Marathon. It was my 9th half, and only my second time running Brooklyn. The course is pretty amazing, starting from the Brooklyn Museum, to Prospect Park, and then down Ocean Parkway to a finish, on the boardwalk of Coney Island. It’s pretty spectacular, the spectators are awesome, and the energy of Brooklyn pride can be felt all over! 

I went into this race, telling myself to only have fun, and that I wasn’t going for a new personal best. I ran the NYC Half in March, and the women’s half last month in Central Park, and all the training was beginning to take a mental toll on me. My mind needs a running break every once in awhile! 

I started out easy, and I felt great, I was really excited to get to the finish! By the time I hit the 5k mark, I was 31:34 in, and that was about a minute ahead of my pace for the NYC Half, which I PR’d in. So I felt great, and kept pushing on in to Prospect Park. The park was the hardest part, it had all the elevation for the entire course, so I slowed down a bit but was still on pace to finish with a PR. Once I hit 7 miles, I thought I was on my way to a new PR! 

But then around mile 9, I started feeling my quads tightening up, so I took a few breaks to walk it out, but was determined to get my PR. I stopped at a few water stations, alternating between, water and gatorade, but the pain in my legs just wouldn’t let up. I went from a 10:30 pace, quickly to an 11:35 pace, and slowly felt myself being defeated, by the pain in my quads. I pushed through mile 10 and 11, and let go of my PR, and decided then I just wanted to finish strong. Mile 12 the cramps became excruciating and terribly uncomfortable, but the boardwalk was just ahead of us, and there was no stopping me! Then with 800 meters to go, it was just pure pain. I had to stop, I thought if I didn’t stop, my legs were going to give out, and I’d just collapse. I walked through the pain, and I knew it could be seen on my face, because the spectators helped push me through it! Their cheering, and kind words of support made me force a smile and run the last few hundred meters! 

I felt so many emotions once I crossed the finish line. I first felt disappointed because I lost the chance to PR when I was so close! Then of course I felt pain! But when I looked at my time of 2:26:24, I realized that it wasn’t my worst half time. It was a minute better than my half last month, and I overcame the defeat my body felt! I was suddenly so proud of myself, because I chose to continue, and not give up! And sometimes that’s the hardest thing to be able to do! After trying to figure out what went wrong, and talking to a nurse, I’m most certain I took in too much potassium, I don’t usually drink gatorade, but because it was a warm day, I wanted to stay hydrated, and with that on top of my fuel packs, and the banana I had before the race, the potassium was too much at once and caused the cramps! Go figure! 

So today I walk away from this half, proud as ever, because I could’ve easily gave up and walked to the finish, completely defeated, but I ran with a smile on my face, and got half number 9 under my belt! 

Til July 1st, my goal is to stay on track, and on point with Weight Watchers, stick to short runs, focus on cross training, and strength training, so we’re ready to take on marathon training! 

Today is a new day! :)