The Mini 10K in a Mini Skirt

Two weekends ago, over 10,000 women gathered in Central Park, NYC to run the Mastercard Mini 10K. Even though I live on the east coast and have been running for over 20 years, I had never heard of this historic event. It began in 1972 as a women's-only race, named after the mini skirt, a symbol of women's liberation. 

I learned about the race after hearing that several professional runners would be competing, and on the Sunday of that weekend, I was invited to speak on a panel discussion in NYC alongside one of the professional women. I am nowhere near her level, but since I was already planning to be there for the event, I decided to run the same Saturday race. 

Ultimately, that athlete ended up not running the 10K after all, so the panel event never happened. I still had my race entry, and decided to make the trip to NYC and experience it.

Greg and I took the train to NYC on Friday, checked into our hotel, and then went to pick up my bib number. At number pickup, they placed a big "C" sticker on my bib, indicating that I was in corral C. I had looked up the previous year's results online, and I knew it would be very likely that I would finish among the top 500 runners. I assumed that corral "A" would be my natural placement, or "B" at the very least, but they told me that "C" was the furthest forward I could be because I hadn't run another NYRR race that would qualify me. I told them that I ran a 41:38 10K last December and could share that result with them, but they said it had to be a NYRR race.

I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Because the weather would be warm, I saw it as an opportunity to go out slow and then pass runners along the way. I probably could have advocated a little bit harder, but I didn't really care that much. I had a very "chill" attitude towards this race. I wanted to run well and run my best, but my primary objective was to experience it.

The bib pickup was near my favorite piano store in NYC where they have a huge selection of Bosendorfer, Fazioli and Bechstein pianos. These are the best pianos in the entire word (Fazioli is my favorite) and it was a pleasure to play them. 

Greg and I ate dinner at a fancy restaurant the night before the race. Probably too fancy because I wanted something bland, and that's not what you order at these types of places. I focused on staying hydrated and I drank around 75 ounces of water + electrolytes that day. 

We got back to our hotel, watched Jeopardy (a treat for us, since we don't have cable) and then went to sleep. I slept relatively well. I don't actually remember because it's now been over two weeks since the race, but we'll say I slept decently. 

Before the Race
For breakfast I had a banana and UCAN energy powder. I got dressed, pinned on my bib, and was ready to make my way to the race start. Back in the 2010's I wore running skirts for most of my races, but when we moved houses I had gotten rid of them all. I definitely wanted to wear a skirt for this race because it was the "mini" 10K, named after the mini skirt. I had found a cute outfit from Alo that was pink and frilly and perfect for a women's race. I opted for my New Balance SC Pacer shoes - perfect for the 10K distance.

We took a cab to about 72nd street where they had closed off Central Park west, and then started walking to the race start, which was located at 90th street. 

It was already 76 degrees at 7:15. It was supposed to get up to 80 by the time I would be finishing! On my personal weather scale, I give this a 1 out of 10. I would not be able to run anywhere close to my 41:38 from December, despite being in almost as good of shape.

Once we got to around 80th street, I said goodbye to Greg so he could get to his first spectating location. I did a very easy jog to the start line and then up and down one of the side streets once I reached 90th. I also used one of the porta potties. 

My grandparents lived on Central Park West, and I found myself right in front of their building. I waved to the security guard and he let me inside. They passed away over 20 years ago, but it brought back memories to see the lobby of the building. I remembered being a child and visiting that building often. As  a child, I don't think I could have imagined returning to that building as a 47-year-old runner lining up for a 10K race in the park. I was wearing a necklace with my grandmother's diamonds and my wedding ring also has her diamonds, so it was cool for them to be back in their place of origin. 

I took a caffeinated gel, finished drinking my water, and made my way into corral C. Throughout the entire morning I was recognized by many runners from social media, and it was cool to meet so many people in person. I loved the all-women vibe, and everyone was super energized and chatting with each other. 

Once we started walking towards the start line, I tried to get up a little closer to the front, but it wasn't really possible with so many people. There were probably 2,000 runners ahead of me. 

Mile 1

Miles 1-2
Mile 1 was all about passing people and trying to run my ideal pace. It was a net downhill so I didn't want to waste it by going out too easy. The first mile was not in Central Park- it was on the city street of Central Park West. Greg would be looking for me shortly before we entered the park at mile marker 1. 

I did a ton of weaving, but it was hard to make my way through the crowd. The course was not very wide and there were thousands of runners. I tried to stay to the left so I could see Greg and he could see me, but I ended up running wherever I could to pass people. I saw Greg on the side of the road, but he didn't quite see me and I yelled out to him and then he saw me. He wasn't able to snap any photos of me, but I'm posting a screen shot of a video he took.

Mile 2 was fully inside Central Park. It was still crowded and I was still passing runners right and left. This was another net downhill mile so I wanted to make the most of it. 

Mile 1: 7:11
Mile 2: 7:01

Miles 3-4
Because it was so hot and hilly, I didn't give myself a goal time. I figured I would run it based on effort level. My 10K pace from last December was around 6:40, but I knew I would spend the majority of this race in the 7:00's with the heat. Mile 3 featured "Cat Hill" which was definitely a challenge, but there was a ton of crowd support on it. 

I can't say enough about how amazing the vibe was with this being a women's race. I like running with men too, but at my pace, I typically find myself surrounded by men. I saw Greg during the 3rd mile and he saw me and took photos. The course was finally starting to open up which made passing people easier. 

Mile 3: 7:20
Mile 4: 7:09

Miles 5-Finish
I knew that mile 5 would be the most challenging from an elevation perspective. I was mentally prepared for it and told myself to just focus on getting up the big hill and then it would be mostly downhill afterwards. I did not look at my watch at all during this mile, I just focused on pushing hard and getting up the big hill. My watch finally beeped and my split was 7:41. OUCH - but not surprising given how hot it was and how big the hill was. 

After that, I don't remember much. I remember almost nothing about mile 6 except for the fact that I don't remember it. 

This has never, ever happened to me in 20+ years of racing: I totally zoned out, and did not know that I had made it to mile marker 6. I didn't see a mile marker, I did not hear or feel my Garmin beep. I looked around for Greg but never saw him. I had stopped looking at my watch entirely and had no concept of how far away the finish line was. 

Suddenly, I came upon a timing mat which I assumed was mile marker 6, but that was actually the finish line. There was no finish line arch, which I had expected in a race of this size, so I just cruised through it with no finish line kick. If I had known that I was approaching the finish line, I could have gunned it a little more, but instead I was totally just zoned out and I had no idea that the finish line was coming. 

Mile 5: 7:41
Mile 6: 7:21
Last 0.29: 6:59 pace

My official time was 45:46, which is my slowest 10K in over 10 years! The last time I ran a slower 10K was December 2013. I do not see this as a reflection on my fitness, but rather the impact of the heat and the hills.

I was thrilled to place 9 out of 841 in my age group at a competitive NYC race. That's really the metric that matters most to me, not my actual time. I consider this a huge success.  I also placed 235 out of 10,075 women. Given that I was in corral C, this means I passed over 2,500 runners along the way. I plan to run this race again next year so I can start in corral A and hope that it stays below 75 degrees. 

After the Race
I enjoyed the post race experience because multiple women recognized me from social media, asked to take photos with me, etc. Seems like everyone had a similar experience - ran much slower than their typical 10K because of the heat. 

My plan was to meet up with Greg at the first possible location after the finish line chute, but I did not see him. Turns out he was waiting for me to run past him. He never saw me during the last mile and I never saw him. I used a volunteer's phone to call him and we were able to meet up about ten minutes later. 

I told him all about the race as we made our way out of the park. He recorded a video of me for my Instagram story. We briefly stopped on the way out to look up a place to have a post-race breakfast. At this point, I had finished about 25 minutes prior. As he was looking on his phone, I felt like I really needed to sit down, so I did. And then I started to feel strange. I felt weak, like I couldn't get up. I told Greg I just needed to sit for awhile. I sipped water and Gatorade. He asked me if I wanted to go to the medical tent and I refused.

I sat there for a few more minutes and then realized how absolutely horrible and weak I felt, and that I might not be able to get up off of the ground on my own. I knew at that point that I had no other option than to be taken to the medical tent. Greg approached a volunteer and they called the medical people who arrived with a wheelchair. I was slurring my speech, I felt like I was totally knocked out. My whole body was limp.

Once inside the medical tent, they surrounded my body with ice packs. Lots and lots of ice packs. After about 5 minutes, I very suddenly snapped out of it. It was like an instant awakening. All of a sudden I was able to talk normally and I felt normal. It was very, very weird how suddenly I went from my haze to feeling normal. 

I was in the medical tent for about 20 minutes and I finally was able to leave. Greg and I walked towards a bagel place, ate, and then headed back to the hotel. It all made sense why I didn't remember the last mile of the race. I don't remember ever reaching mile 6. I think I was starting to suffer from heat exhaustion but it didn't fully kick in until 25 minutes later. 

I've been saying for years that I am far more heat sensitive than the average runner and this again confirms it. 

I showered, relaxed, and then we headed out for the train station. We ended up walking there (it was about 1.5 miles) and when we were about half a mile from Penn Station, I told Greg I needed to sit down inside. I started feeling really awful again, so I got a fountain soda Coke at a pizza place and drank it with more water. The remaining half mile walk to Penn Station felt like an eternity. I felt super exhausted, like at any minute I might pass out. 

We finally arrived and it was like heaven to sit down. Greg got me another Gatorade and I still felt very weird. We had to wait almost an hour for our train, but as long as I could be sitting down in air conditioning, I was fine. I actually was sitting on the ground because the actual seating area was completely full. 

Then, on the way home, a barge hit the bridge and we were told our train would be delayed for a minimum of 2-3 hours. Greg and I decided we would take an Uber from Wilmington, DE back to DC, but as we were getting off the train, they announced that they fixed the bridge and we could proceed. Thank goodness. 

Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
That was a very eventful weekend. The race itself was a total blast and I loved the five miles of it that I remember. I'm extremely proud of how well I placed in my age group and in the overall field. I also enjoyed wearing my pink skirt and meeting so many people who recognized me from social media. 

I don't really have any other final thoughts aside from my heat sensitivity being confirmed for the hundredth time, and being thankful for the opportunity to run such an iconic race.

NYC Half Marathon: Racing for the joy

Last fall I registered for the NYC Half marathon as a time qualifier. This race has been on my bucket list for years, but the registration window is so narrow that I usually miss it and I don't think about my spring half marathon so far in advance. 

Plans changed when I decided to run the One City Marathon. After all, it wouldn't make sense to race a half marathon just two weeks after a marathon. But then, plans changed again when my friend Laura told me that she would be driving up to NYC alone to run it. I figured I could come along for the ride and run it myself as an easy run. Greg would be out of town for a work event anyway so it was a win-win all around. 

Backing up 18 years, I sort of ran this race in 2007. I say "sort of" because I did not finish and the 2007 race bears no resemblance to the 2025 event. I barely remember running the 2007 event, but thanks to my blog, I do have a record of it! One of my favorite all-time race shirts is from the 2007 race. And yes, I wear it even though I DNF'ed the race. It is a Nike shirt with a flattering fit and is a combination of dry-fit and normal t-shirt material. I wear it as an everyday t-shirt and it's so comfy. Plus, now it's super retro! As for why I DNF'ed, I thought I had a stress fracture in my foot so I made a compromise with myself that I would only run until we got to Times Square and then I would stop so as to not injure my foot further. Oh, the logic that I used back in the day!

In 2007, the race was held in August. It was relatively new so there was no lottery and anyone could register. The course started in Central Park, ran around the park for 10K and then finished downtown. Now the race is a March event and starts in Brooklyn, ending in Central Park. Entry is primarily done through lottery and charities, but there are some qualifier spots reserved. My 1:29:50 half marathon time was good enough for me to gain entry for my age group.

Saturday
Laura and I left my house around 6:15 and the ride went smoothly. It was really fun to have such a long time to chat and we talked about everything under the sun!

Our first stop was Brooklyn to check out the Bandit store and the Tracksmith store. Tracksmith had launched their first racing shoe, the Elliot Racer, the day before so we had the opportunity to try those on. In fact, they aren't even released on the website yet - you can only get them in store. But instead of taking advantage of the exclusive opportunity to be among the first to own them, neither of us could justify the hefty price tag of $280. (I think that was the price - it was around that). I am on on the hunt for a new racing shoe, but I think that shoe could be the Brooks Hyperion PB Elite. If not, then I will definitely try the Elliott Racer. The shoe was really soft and had a nice pop to it. With a 7.5mm drop, it was mostly Achilles-friendly, too.

Then we made our way into Manhattan, found parking near the expo, and got our bibs. The expo was well organized and we got through it fairly quickly. 

After that, Laura drove me to my uncle's apartment on the upper east side and she proceeded to her friend's apartment where she would be staying. I got settled into my uncle's place and then we went out to dinner. I hadn't seen my uncle since my last trip to NYC in 2019 so it was really good to catch up with him. The food in NYC is so wonderful. I had homemade pasta with chicken. Delicious! Then it was off to sleep.

Before the Race
Getting to the start was an adventure. According to the race instructions, runners in my wave needed to clear security by 6:45am. My plan was to get there at 6:15 so I would have 30 minutes to get through security. That should have been more than enough time. Working backwards from 6:15, it would take about 30 minutes to get from the upper east side to Prospect Park in Brooklyn. I planned for 45 minutes because I knew there would be road closures. 

I was fully dressed and ready to go by 5:30 when my car service showed up. I know it sounds super fancy to take a car service, but it was about the same price as an Uber: $80 to go 8 miles. Plus tip. 

The race instructions had provided an exact location for runner drop off and that is the location I gave to the car service. As we approached it, all the roads kept being closed off so the driver couldn't get to that spot. We drove around for 20 minutes trying to get to the drop off point. I had my phone with me, and my Google Maps kept saying we were 1.8 miles away. That was definitely run-able, but if I could get closer, that would be better. 

Finally, at 6:20, I told him to just let me out of the car. Google Maps was saying 1.8 miles and I figured I could run there in 20 minutes and get to security with 5 minutes to spare. Provided that I didn't get lost.

I got out of the car and there I was, all alone in Brooklyn in the dark, with only my phone to guide me to the start. I immediately came across two runners who were running towards the start as well. They said they knew how to get there so I followed them. Well, 3-4 minutes later and I found myself at the security checkpoint for the start line! Wow! What great luck. Apparently I got dropped off in an ideal location, and Google Maps was giving me the driving directions which avoided the blocked off roads. Phew.

I had plenty of time! What a huge relief. 

The security was pretty intense and unlike anything I'd ever experienced at a race, including Chicago and Boston. I was thankful for it, though. I had to remove my Garmin, take all of my food out of my clothes, and I still had to be individually searched. I didn't mind because I had plenty of time and I knew they were just doing their job. My car driver said he would never participate in a large event like this in NYC because he was afraid that someone would set off a bomb or something. That didn't give me the warm fuzzies about running over a bridge with 20,000 runners, but I quickly put that thought out of my mind.

After security, I waited for about 15 minutes for the corrals to open. Once they did, there was a mad dash for the porta potty lines. While waiting for the race to start, I was "recognized" by a few people who follow me on Instagram. I love meeting other runners because there is instantly so much to talk about. She even offered to take a video of me that I could post to my Instagram! 

I almost never run with my phone (I use an Apple Watch for long runs in case I need to call Greg) but I wanted to have it with me for safety reasons. It also gave me access to my credit cards, would connect me with Laura post-race, and I would be able to take some photos before and after. Without Greg as a spectator, I had to be my own photographer!

I wore a Brooks Sports bra that had a pocket for the phone in the back of it. I had worn this bra before with the phone and it was comfortable. That's also where I stashed my Maurten gel as well as three 10-dollar bills in case I needed cash. The only challenge was that it was hard to get the phone to go into its back pocket.

I wore the New Balance Super Comp Trainer V1. These shoes are not meant for racing-- they are meant for long runs. They do have a carbon fiber plate, but they are bulky and are considered "super trainers". I wore them because that's the pair I would have worn if I had been doing an easy 13 miles, and bonus: they were green to match my St. Patrick's day theme.

With 10 minutes to go, I had my caffeinated UCAN gel (mocha flavor) and removed my outer layers.

It was 55 degrees and completely overcast, which meant it was cold just standing around. Winds were 10-12 mph. The dew point was around 51-52 which made things humid. The road was wet because there was an occasional light mist. It was also quite foggy. A sticky, humid, foggy, overcast, grey ugly day! At least it wasn't raining. I give this weather a 5 out of 10 on my personal race weather scale. Could have been worse, but definitely could have been better.

Strategy and Goals
I had not run much at all since my marathon two weeks prior. My right hamstring and calf were tight and irritated, so I went to physical therapy to get that worked out. My longest run since the marathon had been 4.3 miles, so I was a bit unsure of how things would go. If I had been recovering as normal without this half marathon, I think I would have run about 8-9 miles as my long run, not 13.

My plan was to simply run this as an easy run. However, I knew I would get caught up in the excitement of the race, so I figured I would run it on the faster end of my easy range, so somewhere around 8:00/mile. But I would mostly just run by feel and focus on my surroundings and soaking up the experience. My main goal was simply to finish without over-taxing my body too much, while having an absolute blast.

I didn't study the elevation profile too much - but I knew to expect hills, and lots of them.

Miles 1-4

I was in Wave 1, corral B, which was based on my qualifying time of 1:29. I fully expected everyone to blaze past me, but that didn't really happen. This isn't to say that I started fast, but that it was quite crowded so everyone was running around an 8:00 pace for the first mile. 

The first mile was an out-and-back with a hairpin turn. It was cool to see the lead pack on the other side of the course. The second mile was a pretty massive hill through Prospect Park. I was feeling really good because it was only mile 2, so I probably ran that hill faster than I should have. I didn't carry my own water bottle so I made sure to stop at the water stations and drink. With the humidity I knew that hydration would be really important, even at my easy pace.

It was hard not to get carried away in mile 3. The elevation loss there was 121 feet so I flew down it at a pace of 7:53. And then I maintained that pace for mile 4. 

Mile 1: 8:09
Mile 2: 8:07
Mile 3: 7:53
Mile 4: 7:51

Miles 5-8
Next up: the Brooklyn Bridge! This was the first year that the course went over the Brooklyn Bridge and it's pretty cool to say I ran over it. There wasn't much of a view due to the high walls and also the fog, but
it was certainly a cool experience. I figured this would be a good time to take out my phone and record a video. Typically taking photos is a big no-no for me in races. I don't run with my phone and I rely on Greg to capture the photos and the videos. But I did record a video for about 10 seconds. The real challenge was getting the phone to go back into its pocket. I tried and tired and tried, and no luck. There was even a finger loop to help with placement, but I couldn't get it to go in.

Finally someone from behind helped me. He must have seen my massive struggle and was so nice to slip the phone right into place. That was so nice of him. I might have never gotten it back in! 

I did this all while running up a massive hill (or should I say, bridge) and the elevation gain in mile 5 was 106 feet. WOW. Mile 6 felt amazing as we ran down 106 feet. 

On the other side of the bridge we ran along the river and there surprisingly wasn't much crowd support. I was excited to get to midtown and it felt like miles 7 and 8 just went on and on with little variation in scenery. 

Mile 5: 8:23
Mile 6: 7:50
Mile 7: 7:54
Mile 8: 7:55

Love this pic- too bad about my head!

Miles 9-12
So far I was still feeling good. I was making sure to drink water at the water stations and I took my Maurten gel at the 8 mile mark. They were handing out Maurten gels shortly after that point, so I took one and stashed it in my sports bra. I'm not one to turn away a free Maurten gel. I was on track to average a pace of around 8:00 which was what I expected, but I didn't care too much about my pace-- I was literally just "rolling" with it. 

I was surprised when someone touched me from behind and then I realized it was Laura! She started further back in the corrals and I knew she would pass me because she would be running at race pace. It was a huge pick-me-up to see her. I briefly contemplated trying to stick with her, but that's when I realized my legs weren't up for that. They were starting to feel sore and achy. 

By mile 10 I realized that my legs were not happy with my decision to run this hilly course so soon after a marathon. I knew I'd be able to make it to the finish, but it wasn't going to be comfortable. 

Now that we were in Manhattan and in the middle of the city the crowd support really picked up. I fed off of the energy of the supporters and it was cool to have people cheering for me by name. My name was not on my bib, so they must have been people from Instagram. I think I was "recognized" at least 10 times during the race and multiple times at the start and finish! My favorite comment was when told me "wow, you're actually a real person!" Yes, I am real!

Times Square was so cool. I loved all the lights. What a thrill to run through it!

After mile marker 10 I knew there would be a right turn onto 7th avenue and then my uncle would be waiting for me around 48th Street. As I approached, I slowed down and looked and looked, but I didn't see him. Finally I heard someone call out my name and I found him on the left side. He thought he would be on my right but with the way the cab driver had to go, he ended up being on my left. I almost ran right by without even seeing him. 

I stopped for over a minute to get a photo with him and have a brief chat. It was a welcome stop with how my legs were feeling. He had made friends with the spectators next to him and they took a photo of us together, and also put my phone back in its pocket- which I was clearly incapable of doing. Seeing my uncle come out to support me was definitely the highlight of the race! 

I felt rejuvenated after my stop and was seemingly able to run faster. But that was short lived because there would be some challenging hills in the last mile.

Mile 9: 8:26
Mile 10: 8:37
Mile 11: 8:21
Mile 12: 10:12 (uncle stop!)

Mile 13- Finish
I looked down at my watch and I figured I could run under 1:50 if I picked up the pace and ran around 8:00 or just under for the final stretch. That shouldn't be too hard, right? WRONG. I am so glad this was a half marathon and not a 14-miler because I was truly starting to lose my ability to run. Whenever I run in Central Park for training the hills feel totally manageable. But whenever I race there the hills feel like mountains. My legs were toast and I was starting to feel the impact of the humidity because I was getting tired. 

My watch beeped 8:23 for mile 13, which was surprising because it felt much slower. There was a sign that said "400m" and I thought to myself, "that's just one lap of the track, super easy!" But that's when I felt like my legs were worthless appendages and totally dead. My pace for the last 0.31 according to my Garmin was 8:56. That's really all I had left! So maybe in a sense I did "race" it if that's all I had to give at the very end. It was so hard just to move at that point.

Needless to say I did not get my sub 1:50, but I didn't care. I was mostly just using that as a motivator to get to the finish line. My official time was 1:50:53.

As I finished, I was recognized by another Instagram runner. I was happy she was there because it was fun to walk though the long finish line chute with someone else. Like me, she had run a marathon two weeks prior. And like me, she said her legs were not happy later in the race. It was about a 10-minute walk to get out of the park and the conversation made it go by much quicker.

After the Race
I called Laura and we met up in the Starbucks just outside the finish line chute. It was jam packed so we walked a few blocks to a place that was less crowded. She had set a PR and I was so happy for her! I decided it was best not to linger for too long because I didn't want to get cold. I hadn't checked a bag so I only had my shorts, sports bra, and the heat sheet they gave us. 

I used Google Maps to find my way back to uncle's apartment. It was about 1.5 miles away and I figured I could walk that. The app guided me through Central Park and almost everyone I passed congratulated me. (These weren't people who recognized me from Instagram --  just general NYC people who saw me with a medal). That made it a really fun walk. 

The idea that I took a car from my uncle's apartment all the way to Brooklyn and then ran back was definitely cool. Plus, at $100 a ride, running back was definitely the best financial option!

I made it back to my uncle's place where he had a protein shake waiting for me. We had authentic NY bagels for lunch and I bought even more to take home and freeze. After that I flew home (Laura was staying an extra day) and was back at my house just in time to Door Dash myself dinner. I was exhausted but happy to have had such a wonderful experience.

Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
This was a fun weekend in so many ways. It was great to spend time with Laura and my uncle and to meet so many other runners. Running over the Brooklyn Bridge was iconic, Times Square was incredible and Central Park was challenging but still fun. I am glad I can cross this race off of my bucket list, and that I focused on savoring the experience. 

This was good validation that I did, in fact, run that marathon very hard. If I recover too quickly from a marathon it makes me second-guess if I gave it my all. I plan to take two days off running - maybe three, to ensure that my legs are ready to go again. Boston is up next, so I want to be careful to not overdo it before then. 

Rehoboth Beach Marathon: 6 Weeks To Go!

How did that happen? All of a sudden the marathon is so soon. I realized that I hadn't posted much about my training, so here's and update.

Post-Race Illness
The day after the Lower Potomac 10-Miler, I woke up quite ill. Only a runner would think, "Yes! That explains why I ran the race slower than I expected to!" So in a sense, it was good news because I had been feeling like the race result indicated I wasn't in as good of shape as I had believed. But with my history of prolonged illness, there was also a huge worry that I would be out for weeks. My main symptoms were extreme fatigue and dizziness, similar to what I experienced when I was sick over the summer.

I did not run or go to work on Monday or Tuesday. On Wednesday I started to feel better, which was a huge relief, so I took a short walk around the neighborhood instead of running and was able to go to work. By Thursday, I was feeling mostly normal, so I ran an easy 10 miles. What a huge relief.

I think I got sick not because of the race, but because my immune system had been weakened by multiple workouts in the heat/humidity. It was in the low 70's with 100% humidity for the first two weeks of October. And even though I know that's a danger zone for me, I kept thinking "this will be the last time because it's going to get cooler" but it didn't. So I ran warm workout after warm workout at high effort levels and my immune system caved.

As for the foot with the Morton's Neuroma, it hasn't been impacting me. I feel it on some days more than others, particularly when I run long. I hope it doesn't become a bigger issue and that the shots will help it go away entirely.

Marathon Training Begins
Thankfully I recovered, but started to feel woefully behind in marathon training after having missed 3 days, and not having run the same mileage and long runs as I did when I was training for Boston. My coach did this by design, though. His theory (and I totally believe it) is that you really only need six weeks of true "marathon training" with long runs, high mileage, and long workouts. In Boston I had a longer ramp-up, but when I look at my mileage, there were really only six weeks of super-charged training, with mileage in the 70+ range. Plus, it would have been difficult for me to run really long/hard workouts any earlier in the season, given the extended summer.

As I said above, I ran 10 easy miles on Thursday of last week, and then 8.3 miles easy on Friday. Greg and I took a train to New York City on Friday, so we were able to run in Central Park. We saw the musical Wicked on Friday night, and then did the long run in the park on Saturday. There's something magical about running in Central Park. Both last weekend and back in February, I had a totally indulgent meal (including a cocktail) the night before, stayed up late seeing the show, didn't sleep well, but somehow managed to run really strong in the hilly park.

Central Park, New York City

The plan called for a 2-hour run, starting at a pace of 8:30 and progressing down to 7:45 for the first hour and 40 minutes. And then for the last 20 minutes, running at a pace of 7:00. My Garmin lost its signal in the park, and was telling me I was going much slower than I was, which of course resulted in me running faster than planned.

Greg was with me and his Garmin was working. He told me I was going too fast, but I was stubborn and ran the first hour and 40 minutes at a pace of around 7:50, according to his watch. Greg let me run ahead for the last 20 minutes, which I think averaged somewhere around 7:10-7:15. I probably could have hit the 7:00 if I didn't over-run the first 1:40, but oh well, it was still a strong run. Based on Greg's Garmin and my assessment of my effort for the last 20 minutes, I think I ran 15.45 miles at an average pace of 7:46. And it felt really good.

I ended up with 39.5 miles for the week, which isn't bad, considering I took three days off entirely for illness. Here are a few more photos from the trip to NYC:

Week of October 22
On October 8th, it was 71 degrees and humid for my track workout. Two weeks later, it was down to 30 degrees and it stayed in the 30's in the mornings for most of the week. I am not complaining about the cool weather, but it's a shame to miss running in the 60's, 50's, and 40's. I had bought a few new tank tops for the fall season that I still haven't had the opportunity to wear!

Monday: Speed Intervals

Monday, October 22

On Monday, I geared up in my compression tights, half-zip top, gloves, hand warmers, and headlamp. The workout called for 4 x (600m, 400m, 200m - with 200m recovery jogs in between) and 3 minutes recovery in between the sets. My coach prescribed paces that were faster than anything I’d ever done: 600m in ‪2:‬10 (‪5:‬48 pace), 400m in ‪1:2‬2 (‪5:‬30 pace), 200m as fast as possible. My previous fastest 600m was 2:13 and my previous fastest 400m was 1:25. I was unsure if I’d be able to hit these speedy targets, but I decided to go for it.

Actual splits were: (2:15, 1:24, 0:40‬), (2:07, 1:24, 0:40), (2:11, 1:25, 0:40), (2:14, 1:25, 0:40). I cant believe I ran a 2:07 for 600m! That’s a 5:40 pace. Granted, it was too fast and I would have preferred to drop time in the 400m, but still it was a huge PR! 1:24 is also a new PR in the 400m. I’m pleased with how this workout went. And if this type of thing doesn’t improve my speed, I don’t know what will!

Tuesday: Easy Run
I ran easy for 80 minutes, which ended up being 9.48 miles at an average pace of 8:26.

Wednesday: Easy Run
I ran easy for 70 minutes, which was 8.2 miles at an average pace of 8:34.

Thursday: Wave Tempo
Back to the track for an 8K tempo run, alternating the pace each kilometer (2.5 laps for each). This was a continuous run with no stopping or recoveries. I had done this same workout last December and loved it. I was obviously hoping to be faster this time. Last time I did this I was 3 weeks out from the Houston Half, which is my PR. And now I am about two weeks out from the Richmond Half, so I was kind of using this workout as gage to compare my fitness now to my pre-Houston level.

Splits were: 4:10 (6:42 pace) 4:22 (7:01 pace) 4:08 (6:39 pace) 4:22 (7:01 pace) 4:07 (6:38 pace) 4:21 (7:00 pace) 4:05 (6:34 pace) 4:18 (6:55 pace). The result: 8K at an average pace of 6:50 in a time of 33:59. I felt very strong and could have done another 1000m/1000m set at this pace. The fact that I could crank out 5 miles at a 6:50 pace and have it feel only somewhat challenging is a huge confidence boost going into Richmond. Overall I ran 14 seconds faster than I did last December which isn’t huge, but I think my effort level here was maybe a little lower to achieve it, with gas in the tank.

Friday: Easy Run
I ran easy for 70 minutes, which was 8.3 miles at an average pace of 8:27.

Saturday: Long Run
A Nor'easter blew through, bringing strong winds and rain. At temperatures in the upper 40's, I was

chilled to the bone. Originally, Greg and I planned to take a trip to Rehoboth Beach to do the long run on the actual course. About half the course is run on a packed dirt trail and I wanted to experience that before racing on it. But being on the coast, and up north, the area was forecast to receive winds of 20-30 mph, gusting up to 50 and very heavy rains. It wasn't much better here in Virginia, but I figured the weather would be enough of a challenge without also trying to figure out how to navigate the course and run in mud.

I ran 18 miles, which was a nice leap from the previous weekend's 15.4, and handled it well. My legs didn't seem to get tired at all and I felt nice and strong the entire way. I progressed from 8:50 down to 7:35, with beautiful splits: 8:50, 8:24, 8:21, 8:19, 8:19, 8:18, 8:09, 8:06, 8:05, 8:01, 7:57,  7:53, 7:52, 7:50, 7:53, 7:44, 7:40, 7:36. The headwind was biting at times, since I was completely drenched and it was only 49 degrees. I didn't let it slow me down, which is a nice confidence booster in case the marathon is windy.

Sunday: Recovery Run
I ran easy for 60 minutes, which was 6.9 miles at an average pace of 8:41. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't notice any lingering leg soreness or fatigue from the previous day's long run. Usually my recovery runs are in the 8:50's, but this felt more like a typical easy run.

My overall total for the week ended up being 68.7 miles.

I'm much more optimistic about my fitness and upcoming half and full marathons than I was in my previous blog post two weeks ago. I think I just needed for the weather to turn because my body performs well in cool temperatures and struggles in the heat.

Weekly Mileage

NYC Marathon: VIP Style!

A few weeks ago, I was offered the opportunity to run the New York City Marathon for free, courtesy of Asics!

I would receive a free, legitimate bib into the marathon, plus VIP transportation to the start line, VIP bag check, and "head to toe" Asics NYC Marathon gear. It was through their "Celebrate Running" contest, and my friend Chad and I were both selected as winners. Score!!! Greg refers to it as the "Cadillac" of NYC Marathon experiences.

Not only does a NYC marathon bib typically cost around $250, but it's also extremely hard to get in through their lottery system. In 2010, I didn't get in through the lottery, so I raised $3000 for Central Park to gain entry. Plus the cost of the bib.

Even though New York City would be just three weeks after the Chicago Marathon, this opportunity was too amazing to turn down. I didn't think I would ever run New York again, and now I had the chance to run it for free, with VIP treatment!

During the three weeks between Chicago and New York, I ran a grand total of 5 times. Most runs were only 4 miles, and my longest was 7 miles. I wanted to make sure I was as recovered as possible for NYC, and didn't want to risk delaying recovery by putting more strain on my body.

For various reasons, Greg opted to stay home and track me remotely. Given that NYC is so crowded that you might not even see your spectator or vice versa, I was totally fine with this, although I definitely missed him.

VIP Expo Treatment
Chad and I drove up to NYC on Saturday morning. We met up with our Asics rep, and his driver drove us from the hotel to the expo. Once there, we were allowed to choose pretty much whatever we wanted from the Asics NYC merchandise section, including shoes! I loaded up: a hat, an ear warmer, gloves, arm warms, socks, a long sleeved shirt, 2 short-sleeved shirts, a pair of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, and a jacket.

Free NYC Marathon Gear. Thanks, Asics!

It was so much fun getting to pick all this stuff out. I decided I would wear the arm warmers and the white shirt to run the race in. I would have worn the shorts, but it didn't have enough pockets for all of my gels the way my skirt does.

After the expo, Chad and I went back to the hotel, relaxed, and then went back out to dinner. We met up with his cousin and her friends, as well as the Asics rep, who paid for everyone's dinner. Asics was definitely very generous and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity! After dinner, the Asics rep gave chad and me special wrist bands that would allow us to access the VIP tent at the start line. This was a warm tent with tables and chairs, and plenty of food. Much preferable to the 3-hour wait that Greg and I had back in 2010 sitting on the ground, freezing our butts off!

Before the Race
Race morning came and I found that I didn't have my typical nerves. This was actually a bad thing because those nerves combined with the bagel that I eat first thing in the morning allow me to empty my digestive system fully before the race starts. And since the start wasn't until 10:05, I had to wait until I was on the bus to the start line to eat my bagel. Unfortunately, that did not get my digestive system going like it usually does.

Anyway, we took a special VIP bus to the starting area and promptly found our tent. I only stayed in there for a short time because I had to drop my bag off and then make my way to my corral. Chad and I separated because he had a different color bib, which meant a different starting location.

I was in the second of four waves, which equated to a 10:05 start time. The one benefit of being in the second wave, as opposed to the first, is that there were plenty of warm clothes left over from the wave 1 starters that I could sit down on. I had en entire pile of jackets to relax on, which made the wait inside the corral much more bearable. I was surrounded by a bunch of French guys and I felt like I was the only American there! Luckily, I speak French.

I was fortunate to get an orange bib, which meant I got to run above the bridge instead of below it like I did in 2010. So my first three miles were different from the 2010 race, which was cool. The forecast called for a sustained 15 MPH headwind for the first 21 miles, with temps in the high 40's to low 50's. I was told that the wind would be especially chilly on the bridges. I decided I would start off the race wearing arm warmers, and then ditch them if I got too hot.

Finally, they moved our corral out of the staging area and up to the start line. It was an amazing view of the bridge.

Miles 1-8
The first two miles took us over the Verazzano-Narrows bridge. My plan for this race was to start at a pace of 9:15-9:30 and then try to speed up if at all possible. My primary goal for running this race was simply to have fun and enjoy the experience, so I wasn't hung up on time. But I also wanted to practice strong execution.

My stomach started to feel off starting at around mile 3. I experienced some mild stomach cramping, but I did my best to ignore it and run through it. I was seriously hoping that my inability to go to the bathroom before the race wouldn't come back to haunt me.

This part of the course wasn't particularly scenic, but it did have a good atmosphere, as does the entire race. I took my first gel at mile 5 and even though my stomach had been bothering me, it seemed to go down fine.

I wore my headphone like I did in Chicago, and they seemed to enhance the experience rather than detract from it. I could still hear what was going on around me, but with the added benefit of inspiring music. Five For Fighting and Panic At The Disco were the two prevalent artists, quite an interesting mix!

Mile 1: 9:55
Mile 2: 8:53
Mile 3: 9:22
Mile 4: 9:01
Mile 5: 9:02
Mile 6: 8:57
Mile 7: 8:53
Mile 8: 9:18

Miles 9-13
This was when my race took a turn for the worse. During mile 9, I really had to go pee and there were no porta potties in sight. I saw a few guys go off the course into a parking lot and pee in between cars, so I did the same thing. Not something I am proud of, but I didn't have any other options at the time.

I felt a little bit better after that but soon realized that my stomach problems were much greater than originally expected. During the 10th mile, I was lucky enough to find an open bar, and they let me use their bathroom. It was such a major relief and I am very fortunate that I found that bar when I did. I don't think I could have waited another few minutes.

I felt much better afterwards and it was technically time to take my next gel. I figured that even though my stomach had been acting up, I should still take my gel because I didn't want to run out of energy later in the race. A mile later, I was paying for this decision, and found myself in the Meatball Shop in Brooklyn. After my previous bathroom stop, I didn't think it was possible that I would have anything left in me, but I was very wrong. Sorry if that's too graphic! But once again, I was very lucky that this place was open and that they were more than happy to let me use their bathroom. In fact, after I was done, everyone in the place was very encouraging, telling me to go out there and finish the race!

I got back into the race and felt pretty good. Usually after I have major stomach distress, the rest of my

Not sure what mile this is.

run is killed. I think that because I found restrooms exactly when I needed them and didn't have to run in pain while waiting to find a bathroom, that helped a lot. This is the advantage of big city marathons!

By this point, I was coming up on mile marker 12. I decided that I should just take the rest of the race easy and not try and speed up at all. I actually couldn't believe I still had 14 miles ahead of me, so I figured the best approach would be to relax, run slowly, and take in the experience.

I was also thinking about Greg tracking me at home and what he must think. Obviously there was a major slowdown between the 15K and 20K marks, and I was hoping that he wasn't thinking I was hurt.  Part of my motivation to keep running strong was to not worry him!

I crossed the halfway mark in 2:13:09. My original plan had been to cross it at around 2:02, but that was obviously out the window. It seems as if the bathroom stops cost me about 10-11 minutes. But I wasn't trying to run a particular time, so it didn't bother me. I just focused on running my best for the second half of the race.

Miles 14-20
These were the glory miles. I felt better at this point than at any other time during the race. The stomach issues were gone, I felt energized and excited to be running the race. I consider miles 15-16 to be the toughest miles of the course-- the Queensboro bridge. It's a mile uphill and a mile downhill, similar to the very first bridge. But by this point, your legs feel it a lot more.

Many people were stopped on this bridge to stretch. I remember how tough this was for Greg and me in 2010 and how I couldn't wait to get over it.  During the uphill mile, I stayed strong and focused, running at a very conservative pace. During the dowhill mile, I made sure not to go crazy fast, and was looking forward to being on First Ave. where the huge crowd was.

After we got off the bridge, we were finally in Manhattan. Miles 17-20 are a straightaway along first avenue and there are loads and loads of people lining the streets. This is when my favorite Panic! At the  Disco album started to play on my iPod and the timing couldn't have been better. The music and the crowds pumped me up so much and it was a definite high. I was smiling and waving at all the spectators, having the time of my life. I glanced at my Garmin from time to time and noticed that I was back down to a pace of around 9:00 for these miles.

Because the Garmin reception wasn't great during the covered bridge portion, I don't have accurate splits for those miles. But I would guess that my average pace for the "glory miles" was somewhere around 9:00-9:15.

During mile 18 I had some Honey Stinger Chews. I hoped those would be better for my stomach than the gels, and I knew I needed more calories to take me through the end of the race. Thankfully, I did not regret this decision!

Miles 21-Finish
During these last five miles, my legs told me that they didn't want to be running anymore. This is where I could tell I wasn't fully recovered from Chicago, and/or the NYC course just took a toll on my legs with all of the bridges and hills.

Slow, focused run to the finish.

My energy level and spirits were actually really high. Overall I felt very strong. It's just that my legs didn't want to move anymore. I decided that I would run to mile marker 21, and then allow myself a 1-minute walk. I did that, and then ran to mile 22, where I got another 1-minute walk. I did this all the way to the finish and it worked.

At this point about half the people were walking and half the people were slowly jogging. I didn't see anyone who looked particularly strong. It's just a brutal course, and the headwind had also taken its toll.  There were times when I thought I would never make it to the finish.

One motivator for me was that one of my best friends was in town that weekend, and she was leaving that evening. We had tentative plans for an early dinner, so I knew that if I wanted to keep those plans, I'd better keep moving and not walk my way to the finish. (Of course, this is based on the experience of knowing it would take me well over an hour to get back to my hotel post race).

I also noticed that when I was running, my pace was around a 9:30, which is decent. Sadly, when combined with my 1:00 walk breaks, the slows down to a 10:30. I was just relieved that I was in the home stretch and that I hadn't hit "the wall" in terms of my energy. Just in terms of my legs giving out on me. I did run the entire last mile (no walking) and found the energy to do it at a pretty decent clip. My official splits show my average pace steadily declining over those last five miles, but with the final run to the finish, it actually got very slightly faster. I love the feeling of finishing strong. This also shows how much of a mental thing marathon running is.

After The Race
I finished in 4:28:29, which makes this my 2nd slowest marathon of 16, and my slowest marathon since I started running them in 2006. I am totally fine with this, as NYC was meant to be about the experience and

About to finish

the fun, and not about running a particular time. I just PRed in Chicago three weeks ago, so I was by no means hungry for a fast race.

One of the reasons I had decided that NYC was a 1-time marathon was because the post-race experience is so miserable. Even with my VIP bag check (which means you can avoid the mile-long walk through the park to get your bag, and it takes 45 minutes because it's so crowded) it still took me nearly two hours after I crossed the finish line to get home. It was in the 40's and overcast, and I was freezing. One of my fingers even went numb. This put me in a really bad mood because I was tired and cold and I just wanted to be back at my hotel. Instead, I probably walked an additional two miles at a snails pace because all of the runners were going the same way.

Eventually I made it back to my hotel with enough time to shower and meet my friend for dinner. Chad actually waited in the VIP finish area for them to find his bag. They lost my bag and his too, but mine didn't have anything in it that I cared about. Just some food and a warm throw-away jacket (which would have been nice-- but not worth a wait).

Final Takeaways
I'm very glad I took advantage of this opportunity. I ran the race to the best of my ability, kept positive even when my stomach was acting up, and focused on the experience rather than the time on the clock. I ran the second half only 2 minutes slower than the first half, which shows that despite all of the stomach drama and leg stuff at the end, I was overall pretty consistent with my pacing.

Because I was injured for six weeks this past summer, this fall season has been a great opportunity to focus on the mental aspects of racing-- the area where I struggle most. Now that I have two "positive" marathon experiences under my belt, I am beginning to see the marathon as something to enjoy, and not something where I have to go out and prove to the world that I am a great runner. Of course I will ultimately want to run faster and set PRs, but in order to do that, I first needed to establish that it's not just about the finish time. Marathoning can offer a great deal of personal satisfaction even if the time on the clock isn't as fast as I would like, or as fast as I think it "should" be based on training. It's taken me 16 marathons to figure this out, but I'm glad I finally did.

I think this fall racing season has set me up to continue marathoning in a much more positive light than ever before, and I look forward to being able to train consistently and tie the whole package together at some point!

My name in the NY Times. I placed 27,627th. 

NYC Marathon: Training Update

This is my first official blog dedicated to my training for the NYC Marathon.

The NYC marathon is the largest marathon in the United States, and rivals the London marathon for the largest marathon in the world. Due to its popularity, there is a lottery system to get into the race. It seems like about 1 in 6 people got in through the lottery this year (and that's just a guess based on how many people I know who entered it and were accepted vs. denied). And one of them was my fiancé, Greg. I was unfortunately denied, so I opted to raise money for charity and "earn" my entry that way. This will be Greg's first marathon, and I definitely want us to share the experience.

When it came time to choose the charity, I realized there were a lot of options. Most of them revolved around fighting some kind of disease, none of which have directly affected me (thankfully). So I chose a charity that was relevant to the marathon and relevant to my family history: The Central Park Conservancy. This organization cares for Central Park and goes far and beyond what taxpayer dollars would cover.

My father grew up in New York city in an apartment building that faced central park. Throughout his childhood, he would play in the park and he built many memories there. He eventually moved down to Virginia where I was born. We would visit my grandparents and uncle in New York, and I had the opportunity to play in the park, just like my father.

My grandparents passed away about 7 years ago. It was very sad for me because I had a strong relationship with them. Every time I go to New York, I remember them and all the wonderful times we had together. My uncle is my only remaining family member in Manhattan and it will be great to have his support when I run the marathon.


So if you are reading this, please help me meet my fundraising goal of $3,000. I am currently 46% of the way there and every dollar counts! Click here to donate now.

Now for the training aspect of it! My attitude when training for this marathon is that I want to motivate Greg and support him in his first marathon. I don't care as much about our finish time, although I really think Greg is capable of that golden 3:40. His half marathon PR is the McMillan equivalent of a 3:40, and he has built up even more endurance since then.
We've been doing most of our runs together-- but sometimes I run a few extra miles on my own or I do a recovery run when he has a rest day. For interval work, we go to a track and run at our own paces. He's faster than me on the intervals and I wouldn't want to hold him back.

My past few weeks have been:

Week of 6/28: 41 miles (includes a 5K race)
Week of 7/5: 45 miles (inc. 13-miler)
Week of 7/12: 47 miles (inc. 16-miler)
Week of 7/19: 48.6 miles (inc. 15-miler)
Week of 7/26: 52.5 miles (inc. 18-miler)

Each week includes one speed work, one Fartlek, and one long run. For this week I am planning on 56 miles. And then next week I am getting married so I have a recovery week!

NYC 8.5

Sometimes the best race is the one you don't.

My friend, "Freaky McRunner" recently posted a blog about not going for a run, even though she wanted to, because her body was telling her not to. My body (as well as some friends and a few doctors) cautioned me against racing the NYC half marathon on Sunday, so I listened.

I arrived in NYC on Saturday afternoon without my timing chip. I own my personal race scoring chip, and I used it to register for the race. Therefore, I had made the decision when I left my home that I would not be timed during this race. The plan was to run part of the race for the fun of it, and then take the Subway or a cab to the finish line and meet up with my friends.

Jenna and I met up at Penn station in NYC. From there, we went to her father's apartment where we would be staying that night. Jenna and I were supposed to also be meeting up with our friends Randi and Kimberly. But Kimberly was injured and Randi (from Texas) had her travel plans fall through. So, it was just Jenna and me.

After a quick lunch, Jenna and I headed to the race expo where we picked up our bib numbers and t-shirts. It wasn't much of an expo because the race was sponsored by Nike, who didn't want any competing companies there. The race t-shirt, however, is now my favorite one of all time, which is saying a lot. They had both male and female versions, the material is dry wicking, and the design is great. Jenna and I met up with my friend George (whose MySpace name is "Runner- aka La Lynx") at NikeTown and chatted for while.

Afterwards, Jenna and I found an amazing Italian place to have dinner at, did a little shopping and then went back to her father's place to go to sleep. The next morning, Jenna and I woke up super early, because we had to be at baggage check no later than 6:00am. We took a cab to the start line, and then got into our assigned corrals. I was assigned to the 5th corral based upon my projected finish time, but I decided to run back in the 7th corral with George.

I realized that I forgot my iPod. And then I realized this was a blessing in disguise. Not having my iPod would allow me to chat with George, really take in the race scenery, and pay more attention to my body. Plus, the music's main purpose is a motivator, and I didn't want any motivation to run this race fast. At the start line, George told me that the best part of the race was mile 8. Running down 7th avenue and into Times Square. She said that in Times Square, there was a Subway that would take me directly to the

finish line. So, my plan was to run 8.5 miles at an easy pace and then stop.

The race started and George and I were off. Jenna was in corral number 4, so she was far ahead of us. George knows NYC like the palm of her hand and provided such wonderful commentary as we ran through central park. I told her that she didn't need to waste energy talking, but she was so proud of her city! And I was really lucky to have my own personal tour guide through the park. My foot felt pretty good, although there was some minor discomfort. My knee was also bugging me, from that bike ride in Italy a few weeks ago. It was a wonderful experience to be running in a race, but not racing it. I was doing this for pure enjoyment.

At one point, we passed my grandparents' old apartment. They are deceased, but for over 50 years, they lived in an apartment on Central Park West. We ran very close to it. My father grew up in that apartment and Central park was a huge part of his childhood. At around mile 5, I stopped to go to a porta-potty and George continued on. I re-adjusted my shoes, (thanks for the lacing advice, Josh!) and then continued to run at about a 9:30 pace, which was a minute slower than I would have raced at. (Based on my training, I would have tried to run at an 8:30 pace). It was a great feeling to cross the timing mats and just not worry about what my watch said!

At mile 7, I finally got out of the park. Don't get me wrong-- it's wonderful to run in Central Park. But it's rather hilly and it getting boring after awhile. At mile seven, the park opened up onto a huge street with a ton of fanfare. There were bands, balloons, cheering crowds, video cameras. I felt like such a celebrity. It was an amazing experience. Just running down that street toward Times Square was worth it. If I made my foot worse in the process, it was worth it to have that incredible experience.

I was running with my phone in my skirt pocket, so I started taking photos as I was running. As a result, they were blurry, but I think I captured the essence. Like George said, I saw a huge Subway sign at mile 8.5, just as I was finishing the Times Square portion of the run. I hated to do it, but I ran over to the side of the road, pulled the metal fence out a bit and walked off the course. I could have physically kept going, but the plan was to not complete the 13.1 miles and risk making my foot worse. Plus, my knee was really bugging me (and I am getting it checked out on Thursday). My knee actually hurt more than my stress-fractured foot, and it had been my that had prevented me from doing the long runs I had wanted to in previous weeks.

I kept reminding myself that I was doing the best thing for my body, and I had my sights set on the Chicago Marathon. Chicago is much more important to me than my other races, and I really think I am capable of running that race in under 4 hours. It would be a huge milestone for me.

So, I got on the Subway and rode down to Battery Park. It was a long Subway ride, and I kept thinking

how much I would rather be running that distance. When I run, it never "feels" like that long of a distance. I am always amazed that a marathon distance is like my commute to work and halfway back. It seems insanely long, but while I am running it-- it feels much shorter. I got off the Subway and saw people running toward the finish line. My heart sunk a little bit, because I know how amazing that feeling is! I saw people wearing the finisher's medal, and I knew that I wouldn't be getting one of those. 

I was hoping for a NY Bagel for post race food, but all I got was a disappointing bag of hard pretzels and a pear. I found Jenna, who ran the race in a super-quick 1:51. I didn't meet back up with George, but I later received a text from her with her time. Jenna and I walked nearly two miles to get to the Subway that would bring us back to her father's apartment. The walking actually hurt more than the running. Not quite sure why! NYC is definitely a walker's city, and I think the amount of walking I did over the weekend did more harm to my foot than the 8.5 miles I ran.

All in all, I had a fantastic experience and I knew I made a smart decision by not running hard, and not running the entire 13.1 miles. I didn't see the point of going all the way to the finish line if I wasn't going to put my best running foot forward. I really hope that this decision pays off for me and my stress fracture heals in time for me to adequately train for the Chicago marathon. As is, I have already missed two weeks of training, and several long runs. But many runners have said "better to be under-trained than over trained". In the meantime, I think I will hone my swimming skills.

I stayed in the city until Monday afternoon. I met up with my friend Austin and we explored the city as much as we could with my foot and knee bothering me. We saw the Simpson's movie, which we both really enjoyed. We went to a diner that I had gone to with my family the last time we were in NYC visiting my grandmother. I got my favorite multi-grain Belgian waffle topped with fruit and yogurt. Yum! And I finally got my NY bagel, which I had been craving since the end of the race. Special thanks to George (la lynx), Jenna, and Austin (all of whom read this blog) for a fantastic weekend! We missed you Jenny, Kimberly and Randi!