13.1 - Update

Well I did it... I joined 5,000 runners in Central Park knocked off a Half Marathon for my first race of the year.

As planned, I didn't go all out for this one. Instead I set a moderate-fast pace early and hit the cruise control, picking off the miles at a consistent pace of 7:15 – 7:30 per.

Thanks to Sempre Libera for the shout-out on the East Side somewhere around Mile 10 or 11. That gave me the extra umph to pick up the pace and finish a few steps ahead of NYRR President & CEO, Mary Wittenberg... Sweet!

From a confidence boosting perspective I am pretty pleased with this race. It proved that I could run a decent pace (for me) over a long and somewhat hilly course. On the other hand I regret not going a just a little faster...

Since, I’ve realized that my fitness is not what it used to be as evidenced by a wicked-bad case of Delayed Onset Soreness. My quads and calves are particularly displeased with the effort.

“Sometimes it is harder to deprive oneself of a pain than of a pleasure.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald

13.1 Tomorrow

Tomorrow I'll tackle two loops of Central Park in the Manhattan Half Marathon.

This will be my longest race in quite some time and should be a decent indicator of my fitness for the Jersey Marathon in May.

I am not planning on racing this all out but rather I'm viewing it as a long training run at marathon pace (or slightly faster) just to make sure that I can go the distance.

We shall see.

"The test of any man lies in action."
-Pindar

A Very Good Week

When running, there are times when every step of every mile is a challenge.

There are workouts so uneventful and ordinary that even reviewing your running log sparks no memory.

And then there are the runs like I’ve had this week.

It started Tuesday evening, running home from the office in Herald Square across town to 1st Avenue - past the United Nations Building and over the Queensboro Bridge before turning north to Astoria.

It was cold. It was dark. And neither mattered.

Traffic lights seemed to sense my approach and turn green. Tourists gawked and locals stepped aside. My pace and perceived effort were spot on – that fine line between speed and sustainability.

I arrived home energized and in less time than if I’d taken if I’d taken the Subway.

Thursday morning I woke at 5:45am and was at the track before sunrise. One mile warm up at an easy pace. Then 3 x 1 mile intervals (6:15, 6:18, 6:17) and finally a mile cool down. All followed by some core strength training.

At 5:45am the alarm sounded again on Friday morning. Peering out the window into the darkness rain poured down. Augh! I don’t want to run in that mess…

Then I remembered that just because I haven’t used it in months, I do still have a gym membership. So off I went and knocked out a solid 10k while fantasizing about being a rock star as jam after jam came up on my iPod.

Today I’ll head out for an easy 5 miler and tomorrow I’ll go long – it’s supposed to be wicked cold.

Awesome.

"Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one's values.”
-Ayn Rand

Twitter…

You may have noticed the “I’m Twittering” headline over to the right and thought to yourself:

“What the hell is a Twitter?”

According to the Twitter website, it is a free “service for friends, family and co-workers to communicate…” and is used by the LA Fire Department as well as presidential hopefuls John Edwards and Barack Obama.

Like you, I was completely in the dark until The Ubster and The Crew introduced me on New Years Eve. After a couple glasses of fine red wine I finally got it and began following a few people, including The Geek of Everything (*except home pool maintenance) who incidentally provided the quote for this post.

Since, I've become somewhat addicted to Twittering - known as Tweetaholism.

In short, Twitter is good for:

• Micro-blogging
• Sending brief, concise and relevant text messages
• Sending quick inane or irrelevant text messages
• Communicating information to a group
• Wasting time
• Driving up your mobile phone bill with loads of SMS messaging
  

Twitter is not good for:

• Communicating complex thoughts or instructions
• Communicating directly with an individual
• Workplace productivity
• Participating in or following dialogue via a mobile device while driving or operating heavy machinery
  

“Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

Shoes and Hotels

My training schedule called for a 10 miler on Sunday – my first “long” run.

I am pleased to report that I was able to knock off nearly 11 miles at an easy pace and felt strong the entire way. My iPod also turned out a great playlist which no doubt helped.

I did feel a little soreness in my knees but that is likely the result of too many miles on my current shoes coupled with hours of bouncing a new baby to sleep. I think it prudent to shell out the monies for a couple pair of new shoes. Does Asics make a pair of neutral-cushioned trainer/bouncers?

I also need to find a hotel near the start of the Jersey Marathon in Long Branch. Does anyone have any suggestions?

“Only the little people pay taxes.”
-Leona Helmsley

Happy New Year

"Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."
-Mother Teresa of Calcutta