Monday, July 28, 2003
Flat is in the eye of the beholder. This is what Tasha and I decided on Sunday, as we ran forth and back and forth and back along Lake Raponda Road for our six+ mile run. It made us laugh to think about the reaction we'd get if people heard us call the route "flat": Lake Raponda Road is by no stretch of the imagination flat. Still, compared with our regular route in Vermont (either the five-mile loop or the seven-mile loop), there really isn't any other word for it. In any event, despite its flat-factor, Lake Raponda is still probably hillier than the Dis (as Tasha has taken to calling the marathon), which is about as flat a course as you can find; as best as I can recall, the only hills that we have to run are up and down some highway overpasses.
As for how the run went, it was an unqualified success -- our schedule called for us to warm up for 1.5 miles, run a 5K race and then cool down for 1.5 miles. To compensate for the fact that we weren't racing, we simulated a race on our own. Thus, our first leg (out) was slow, our next two legs (in and out again) were run hard, and our final leg (back in again) was at a fast walking pace. I was particularly amused by Tasha's insistence that after our warm-up jog, we had to stand around at the "starting line" for a few minutes, to simulate the experience of actually entering a 5K (I complained to the race director about the absence of a porta-potty at our starting line, but all she did was stick her tongue out at me!). In the end, though, the 5K portion of the run went really well; I thought we ran strongly and smartly. I was also very proud of Tasha -- she set a goal of 40 minutes, and finished in 38, which was two minutes faster than her 5K time a few weeks ago. Yea!
I was also proud of Dad for running four miles Sunday morning. It was particularly monumental because he did so without Mom at his side, and without someone watching over her. This was the first time since she started having seizures in February that she has been alone for any length of time; in many ways, this side-bar to the run represented something almost more wonderful than the run itself, which was no slouch (four miles in one hour: more than the average American, who is far younger than Dad, can do!). Way to go, Dad!
As for how the run went, it was an unqualified success -- our schedule called for us to warm up for 1.5 miles, run a 5K race and then cool down for 1.5 miles. To compensate for the fact that we weren't racing, we simulated a race on our own. Thus, our first leg (out) was slow, our next two legs (in and out again) were run hard, and our final leg (back in again) was at a fast walking pace. I was particularly amused by Tasha's insistence that after our warm-up jog, we had to stand around at the "starting line" for a few minutes, to simulate the experience of actually entering a 5K (I complained to the race director about the absence of a porta-potty at our starting line, but all she did was stick her tongue out at me!). In the end, though, the 5K portion of the run went really well; I thought we ran strongly and smartly. I was also very proud of Tasha -- she set a goal of 40 minutes, and finished in 38, which was two minutes faster than her 5K time a few weeks ago. Yea!
I was also proud of Dad for running four miles Sunday morning. It was particularly monumental because he did so without Mom at his side, and without someone watching over her. This was the first time since she started having seizures in February that she has been alone for any length of time; in many ways, this side-bar to the run represented something almost more wonderful than the run itself, which was no slouch (four miles in one hour: more than the average American, who is far younger than Dad, can do!). Way to go, Dad!
Friday, July 25, 2003
You go, girl! Part of the loss of momentum was your trip to California, no doubt. As for the eating right thing, I think we've both fallen off the wagon, and there's no time the present to climb back on. If you'll give me a boost onto the wagon, I'll give you a hand and pull you back up.
As for my own running, Tuesday I made a bad choice, and went to lunch with the gang instead of going to the gym. I had every intention of leaving work in time to go to the gym before I got Sam, but then something came up that had to be dealt with on Tuesday at 5:00, and there went my run. The good news was that I did get to run on Wednesday, and felt good about it...until I tried to carry Sam up the stairs from the subway, and hurt my back. I think I'm better now, though, and maybe I'll run tomorrow (if Tasha hasn't already run today, then she can run while I get us ready to go to VT; if she has, maybe we can do the opposite. Or we could go up to VT in the morning, and we could both run tonight...)
Anyway, the point is that we have to keep ourselves honest (and that's what MarathonBlog is for, ostensibly). So here's my pledge: at the very least, we're going running this weekend.
As for my own running, Tuesday I made a bad choice, and went to lunch with the gang instead of going to the gym. I had every intention of leaving work in time to go to the gym before I got Sam, but then something came up that had to be dealt with on Tuesday at 5:00, and there went my run. The good news was that I did get to run on Wednesday, and felt good about it...until I tried to carry Sam up the stairs from the subway, and hurt my back. I think I'm better now, though, and maybe I'll run tomorrow (if Tasha hasn't already run today, then she can run while I get us ready to go to VT; if she has, maybe we can do the opposite. Or we could go up to VT in the morning, and we could both run tonight...)
Anyway, the point is that we have to keep ourselves honest (and that's what MarathonBlog is for, ostensibly). So here's my pledge: at the very least, we're going running this weekend.
Friday, July 18, 2003
I don't think I'm going to be able to run today, either. Between trying to get Sam and me ready to leave the house this morning, I forgot my gym bag, so running wasn't going to happen during office hours. And with Tasha in LA, and no one to look after Sam while I run (not to mention the fact that I'm driving to Vermont with him tonight), that's the ballgame. I may try to run tomorrow when I'm in Vermont, but then again, I may subscribe to the same theory as Tasha, namely that missing one run won't kill me, but doing a run Saturday and a hill run on Sunday might lead to injury, which would be bad.
Coming this weekend, by the way, may be the debut of Judah on MarathonBlog, assuming that I can get the technical stuff worked out. Stay tuned...
Coming this weekend, by the way, may be the debut of Judah on MarathonBlog, assuming that I can get the technical stuff worked out. Stay tuned...
Thursday, July 17, 2003
Depending on how you look at it, I either did or didn't cross train today. I didn't cross train in the sense that I didn't set aside time to actually cross train. Nevertheless, at the beginning of my day, I walked from Buckle My Shoe to my office (about 20 blocks, or one mile), and then at the end of my day, I did the same walk in reverse. I also lifted a thirty-odd pound stroller down two flights of steps and then back up at the end of the day, so that ought to count for something, right? Or am I just fooling myself?
On the bright side, our new computer arrived, so now I can blog from home on the actual day of training, rather than from the office the next morning.
On the bright side, our new computer arrived, so now I can blog from home on the actual day of training, rather than from the office the next morning.
As long as we're on the subject, here's the report on my run last night:
30 minutes total, broken down as follows: 6 minutes at 5.8 mph, followed by 1 minute at 4.0 mph. Did this four times, and ended with two minutes of walking to cool down.
While I was running, I felt like the time crawled along, even when I distracted myself by trying to decipher what Greta Van Sustern was saying on CNN (the sound was off since I didn't have my headphones) based on the screen graphics. Then, when the walk breaks came along, it seemed like the minute just flew by and it was already to time to run again! By the third repetition, however, I think I had found my stride, and when I finished, I felt great. Make that tired, but still great.
Today is a cross-training day, which makes me happy, since my legs are a bit sore.
30 minutes total, broken down as follows: 6 minutes at 5.8 mph, followed by 1 minute at 4.0 mph. Did this four times, and ended with two minutes of walking to cool down.
While I was running, I felt like the time crawled along, even when I distracted myself by trying to decipher what Greta Van Sustern was saying on CNN (the sound was off since I didn't have my headphones) based on the screen graphics. Then, when the walk breaks came along, it seemed like the minute just flew by and it was already to time to run again! By the third repetition, however, I think I had found my stride, and when I finished, I felt great. Make that tired, but still great.
Today is a cross-training day, which makes me happy, since my legs are a bit sore.
And now for the Daily Judah Report:
Tuesday Evening: 30 Minutes on the Treadmill, 2 minutes running at 4.0, 1 minute walking at 3.0.
Way to go!
Tuesday Evening: 30 Minutes on the Treadmill, 2 minutes running at 4.0, 1 minute walking at 3.0.
Way to go!
This isn't really about my training last night, which went well, all things considered. Actually, Tasha's post reminds me of something that happened last week, before the official start of marathon training, which I had forgotten about until now. I was running on Shearer Hill Rd. in Vermont, and had just finished getting up that tough hill by the pretty farm. Needless to say, I was winded, and needed some self-motivation, so I began shouting, loudly, "I am a marathoner!" over and over. Until I passed the new house being built, and four guys standing next to a bulldozer... An embarrassed silence ensued, until one of them called out as I ran past, "Me too. Good luck."
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
I also wasn't happy with Tuesday's run -- I was only able to get 38 minutes in before I had to leave to pick up Sam, so that translated into, realistically, 35 minutes of running and three minutes of cool down, then a quick dash through the locker room and an even quicker dash to Buckle My Shoe. (Query -- can I count my dash to BMS as part of my run?)
As for predictions based on one day of training, I say, Pheh! The whole point of training is to build yourself up to the sub-5:00 marathon. Will it be hard? Yes. Will you feel daunted? Yes, but more so at the beginning than as you progress through training and rack up some small successes. My recommendation to you is that you go back and read your first post on MarathonBlog. In particular, what struck me was what you said about what a marathon is all about:
Whereas the marathon is all about a celebration of one's corporeal body and what it can do, getting TO the marathon is very different. That really is about a triumph of the spirit over the physical -- your mind wills you through six months of training that is at best obsessive/compulsive and at worst absolutely nuts, and at the end of it your body can do what seemed impossible on day one.
In the end, my goal is not to run a fast marathon, or even to beat my previous time. My goal is to be able to run a marathon together, because that's what we really set out to do. If we happen to do that in 5:00 or less, wonderful. But if we happen to take longer... well, that's extra time I get to spend running with my best friend, and how bad can that be?
As for predictions based on one day of training, I say, Pheh! The whole point of training is to build yourself up to the sub-5:00 marathon. Will it be hard? Yes. Will you feel daunted? Yes, but more so at the beginning than as you progress through training and rack up some small successes. My recommendation to you is that you go back and read your first post on MarathonBlog. In particular, what struck me was what you said about what a marathon is all about:
Whereas the marathon is all about a celebration of one's corporeal body and what it can do, getting TO the marathon is very different. That really is about a triumph of the spirit over the physical -- your mind wills you through six months of training that is at best obsessive/compulsive and at worst absolutely nuts, and at the end of it your body can do what seemed impossible on day one.
In the end, my goal is not to run a fast marathon, or even to beat my previous time. My goal is to be able to run a marathon together, because that's what we really set out to do. If we happen to do that in 5:00 or less, wonderful. But if we happen to take longer... well, that's extra time I get to spend running with my best friend, and how bad can that be?
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Okay, Day 1 of marathon training is history. We are officially underway. To show how easy marathon training can be, we cross-trained by walking and pushing a stroller from 59th and Lex. to Asphalt Green, at 90th and 1st Ave. (actually, due to a navigational error, we walked to 92d and 1st Ave, and then back-tracked down to 90th.) Also, I think we get credit for the two blocks you have to walk just to get from the sidewalk to the ballfield, since we couldn't jump the chain-link fence.
What made me happiest, though (besides getting to spend some quality time with Tasha), was the way that Sam was able to contribute to our cross-training efforts, by insisting on being carried for a good part of the way...
What made me happiest, though (besides getting to spend some quality time with Tasha), was the way that Sam was able to contribute to our cross-training efforts, by insisting on being carried for a good part of the way...
Monday, July 14, 2003
Oaky, now that the administrative stuff is done, here I go with my first post...
Today is supposed to be the official start of marathon training, but paradoxically, the schedule that we're using calls for today to be a cross-training day, so that means no running today (which is good, because I didn't bring my gym clothes to the office). It seems like a weird way to start training, but hey, my coach (that's you, Tasha) says that's what the plan is, so who am I to argue?
The issue of the moment is how (and where) to post our training schedule. Tasha is using Outlook, which automatically calendars the entry for all participants using Outlook, and then pops up a reminder on the appropriate date, but I use Lotus Notes, which does not accept Outlook's automatic scheduling emails. As a result, all I get is 180 emails (one per day), all dated today, that tell me what happens daily for the next six months. I propose a weekly training update on the blog, like this:
Tues., July 15: 40-50 minute run at 5.3 mph pace
Wed., July 16: 20-30 mins. at 5.8 pace
Thurs., July 17: Cross-train
Fri., July 18: 40-50 mins. at 5.8 pace
Sat., July 19: Rest
Sun., July 20: 4-6 miles (hills); total (with warm-up and cool down) of 5-7 miles
Mon., July 21: Cross-train
At the end of the day, I guess, it doesn't matter how we communicate the schedule, only that we keep to the schedule as best we can. I too have a sense of the impossible becoming slowly possible. Especially now, I take comfort in that feeling.
Today is supposed to be the official start of marathon training, but paradoxically, the schedule that we're using calls for today to be a cross-training day, so that means no running today (which is good, because I didn't bring my gym clothes to the office). It seems like a weird way to start training, but hey, my coach (that's you, Tasha) says that's what the plan is, so who am I to argue?
The issue of the moment is how (and where) to post our training schedule. Tasha is using Outlook, which automatically calendars the entry for all participants using Outlook, and then pops up a reminder on the appropriate date, but I use Lotus Notes, which does not accept Outlook's automatic scheduling emails. As a result, all I get is 180 emails (one per day), all dated today, that tell me what happens daily for the next six months. I propose a weekly training update on the blog, like this:
Tues., July 15: 40-50 minute run at 5.3 mph pace
Wed., July 16: 20-30 mins. at 5.8 pace
Thurs., July 17: Cross-train
Fri., July 18: 40-50 mins. at 5.8 pace
Sat., July 19: Rest
Sun., July 20: 4-6 miles (hills); total (with warm-up and cool down) of 5-7 miles
Mon., July 21: Cross-train
At the end of the day, I guess, it doesn't matter how we communicate the schedule, only that we keep to the schedule as best we can. I too have a sense of the impossible becoming slowly possible. Especially now, I take comfort in that feeling.
Welcome to MarathonBlog! What is MarathonBlog? Well, it's an electronic bulletin board, training journal and, well, blog, all rolled into one. I'm hopeful that it will help each of us train by providing a communal place to share tips, relive triumphs and work out what went wrong if something goes wrong. And at the end, I think we'll have a neat communal record of how far we came to get to the Disney Marathon.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
