marathon trumps yankees

Ah, baseball postseason and fall marathon season.  Why must you clash?  Yeah, considering I didn't have the Yanks to watch in last year's postseason, I'd be glued to the TV nonstop this time.  Not so...not only did I crash during Friday night's ALCS Game 1, but I did the same thing during Saturday's Game 2....now to be fair, it was an extra-innings "marathon" that went into the wee hours of the morning, and I had a run the next morning.  And I was told by a certain someone afterwards that I woulda gotten a scolding had I stayed up for the game...hehe. 

And I did get a mini-lecture of sorts on Sunday from Runner26 for showing up to the 'last 10 miler" in the cold, rainy weather (well maybe it wasn't really a "lecture", but thought I'd throw the teacher reference in.)  OK, maybe running outside was not the smartest thing that day, but I didn't wanna do 8 miles on the dreadmill and I was honestly OK once we were moving...and I didn't plan to be standing around in the cold in wet clothes when done with the run-made a beeline to Starbucks, then home for a hot shower and some quality time with the Snuggie.  Anyways, run was good, me and Runner26 ran together for the most part (I cut out after 8 miles) and Lam even joined us for a bit.  Was fun, though we got semi-lost in the Bronx trying to figure out the new course...and wound up running more of the old course.  Didn't matter so much for me... :)

And yesterday the game started at 4:15 and of course I was working (though still following along via the Internet)...and by the time I got home and saw an inning or 2 it looked like it was gonna go into extra innings yet again!!  But I had plans to hit the gym to do a yoga class and foam roll the sh*t out of the (sh)IT Band™.  Once again, gotta prioritize and the priority is whats gonna make me feel better on marathon day, right?  And besides-NYSC had the game on all the TVs in the gym anyways...but all the good that did, as the Yanks dropped one to the Halos...

So Game 4 is going on right now and I am watching but multitasking...eating pasta, blogging, doing laundry...plus flipping to Dancing With the Stars during commercial breaks since I wanna see who gets eliminated tonite...I know The Hills and The City will get rerun a million times so I can live without seeing those 2 shows tonite.  But if this one goes into extra innings...sorry pinstripers, I do need to get my beauty sleep :)

And can it just be race day already?  I'm very antsy and nervous :)  But thank god, one more day of work and I'm free for a few days...then I can really concentrate on obsessing!!! :-P

pop-ups

No I'm not referring to those annoying things you see when browsing the web that sometimes those gadgets in your browser can't block.  Or that show on VH1 that would tell everything you ever wanted to know, or didn't want to know, about your favorite 80's nostalgia videos.  Or what happens to male runners (or other male athletes, or hell males in general!) when they get, uh, happy and excited, especially if they are wearing tight shorts or pants...hehehehehehehe :-P

I tried to combat taper madness with retail therapy today and was pleasantly surprised that one of my favorite clothing stores, The Limited, which unfortunately I can only shop at online or when I am in NJ visiting the fam, had a temporary "pop-up" store in Soho through today.  And the retail mission was successful as once again, I got my dress for the next Flyers awards gala well in advance :)  That was easy!  Now the real tough part will be making sure it will still fit in 3 months!!

So it's Saturday nite and I'm blogging.  I know I desperately need a life.  Well I'm not drinking right now, so I'll need another 9 days before I can get that back.  Plus I just want to chill and watch the Yanks hopefully clip the Angels' wings for a 2nd night in a row :)  (well...even though I crashed before the end of the game last nite.)  Plus I have my last "long run" on tap early tomorrow.  The Flyers are running their annual "last 10 miler" and I plan to join them for 8 of those miles.  Here's hoping the weather isn't too too bad...

Oh yeah and an update on that other thang.  Had my first PT session on Thursday, and the therapist's assessment was that I was actually still pretty strong and just needed some fine-tuning in the hip area to take the pressure off the (sh)IT Band™.  So had 1 session so far, will have 3 next week, and have some "homework" exercises to do at least once a day if not more (I've been doing twice daily...can't hurt, right?)  Seems like that, plus tapering has been helping.  I even threw an MP mile into my run last nite (7:50?  eek.  On that note, who are the 2 wiseguys who think I am gonna break 3:30?) and for that mile, I totally forgot that there were even any hip or (sh)IT Band™ issues.  As per usual, no probs when I'm running MP...guess that means I will need to run marathon pace for 26.2 miles then!!  hehe...OK that was bad!  But hey, I haven't totally lost my sense of humor during this taper!!

taper madness continues

OK, so did give in and check out the weather forecast.  It looks perfect for now...thank god one thing is going right!!

So yesterday I go to my sports doc to get my (sh)IT Band™ checked out.  Turns out it's not really so much a knee problem than it is a hip flexor problem that was putting stress on the (sh)IT Band™...not as much overuse as it is bad biomechanics (?)  Surprised since I thought my right side was my stronger side (both my previous injuries were in the left leg)...but in yoga classes when we do poses like pigeon and lotus that stretch out the hips, I do feel it more on the right than left, so it does make sense that there is something there.

So the doc sent me home with some anti-inflammatories to take down the pain and a prescription for PT-getting in 2-3, preferably 4 sessions before the marathon...yes, he said this is fixable and I can still run the marathon.  And my first session was supposed to be today, but the receptionist wrote it in their book for tomorrow instead of today.  And of course taper madness me flips out, I mean I can't leave work early 2 days in a row!!  So unfortunately I have to go mad early like before work tomorrow...but it's just like I want this thing starting to be taken care of already!  Not much time left...

On top of all this, I feel fat from the reduced mileage and from the eating more/carbo-loading.  Especially since I was bad today and had to indulge in the warm chocolate souffle for dessert when out to lunch for coworker's b-day (and it wasnt even as good as it had been previous times!)  I did resist the wine though, even though try having a bottle of sauvignon blanc sitting right in front of you, taunting you!!  Sigh.  I really need to work out tonight.  I feel like I'm having a Kelly Taylor moment or something.

the last dozen

So yesterday marked the last double-digit run til the big day...which was actually a repeat of the NYF Bridges Run that we did last month!!  But no need for me to do the full 20 so the perfect solution...meet up with the group at the downtown Urban Athletics store (which was the first water stop anyways) and run the last 12 miles!  And so I did.

Was well carbo-loaded thanks to a belated b-day dinner the nite before...and was nice and relaxed thanks to some, well, "relaxing" that nite too :)  So Sunday morning, go through usual pre-run routine, calculate what time the 9:30s will get to UA...leave myself enough time to get there.  Or so I thought.  Even though almost every single subway line had weekend service changes, thankfully the changes to the C would work for me...still stopped up by me, but went express from 59th to Canal St.  Perfect-best of both worlds there...uh, no.  We're stopped for a few minutes just before 42nd st..."door problems" on a train in the station.  And finally we're moving again...til the train stops again just before 14th st...this time "mechanical problems" on a train in the station.  It's always something!!  We finally did get moving and made it down to Chambers St without any more "stops" but still left me freaking out about whether or not I will make it in time.  As always, gotta love the MTA...

And also gotta love that I have no sense of where the hell I am when I'm downtown (yeah, I seem to have this problem south of 14th St)...so I get out of the subway and not sure which way to go...I eventually figure it out but then I am afraid I am cutting it really close.  Well turned out no need to worry...only the 8's and 8:30s were there so I was in time.  And soon the 9's came along...which at first I was pondering joining them but they said they were going faster than 9's so NEXT!!  Finally, my 9:30 peeps arrived...waited a few minutes for them to utilize the water stop, then we were off!

So yeah, familiar route, done it before...was really a pretty drama-free run.  Unlike last time, I didn't have to consult the maps when we got to Brooklyn :)  And there was no losing PowerGels, no ObsceneCam™ taking pictures...thankfully no crazy bikers threatening to knock me down :)  And before I knew it, we were making the turn onto Madison Ave to finish up at the uptown Urban Athletics store.  A dozen miles, the last double-digit run-done!!  Stayed around to chat some people up :)  then me and Runner26, as per usual took the M96 back to the west side...during that time we chatted about lotsa things...like all of you :-P  Then usual SBux, shower, nap, ice...not so usual (ok maybe usual) being lazy and watching the baseball playoffs...was very entertaining-from the Red Sox game to the Yanks advancing...yep thats why the Yanks are the Yanks!!  Bring on the Angels...though I beg for no 10PM game starts when they are on the west coast!!

On another note, thankfully my cold has been kicked, but keeping with the "shit must hit the fan during the taper" theme, my IT band-or as I will refer to it going forward...my (sh)IT Band™  has been acting up and the mileage reduction did not seem to be helping-though I was stretching, icing and rolling the hell outta it as well.  So I took today off from running in favor of some yoga, foam rolling and more stretching...and I'll get the (sh)IT Band™ checked out tomorrow so I can sleep better at night.  I am still optimistic-albeit cautiously-that I will be able to run in 2 weeks (encouraging thing is I feel absolutely nothing when I run at MP as opposed to slower speeds)...I'll be damned if 4 months of hard work is for nothing.  So you see, this is why I'm not freaking out yet about the weather forecast, even though it is up... :)  First off, it's way too early...not to mention I got more important things on my mind.  Keep your fingers crossed...

Congrats to everyone who ran and raced this past weekend...from mile to marathon!! :)

fragile girl

Wow, it's been a few days...been busy busy busy!!  But thats ok, any posts would have been about taper madness...which I can just combine all into one post here! :)

Forget about last week, i think i am gonna have to handle myself with kid gloves from now until October 25th.  Seemingly everything that is supposed to be aching and/or going wrong during training decides to show up for the taper.

Like when running Monday nite downtown...my calves decided to cramp up...possibly due to dehydration?  My legs felt so fragile at that point, that one wrong move would put them out of commission...stopped and stretched and took it easy...and winced at any sign of bikes.  needless to say, I was glad when we finished the run and made it to White Horse Tavern where we had our burgers...and glasses of water!  Yeah, I am going to attempt yet again to detox during this taper.  So far so good-especially because...

....on top of it all, nursing a cold!!  arrrggghhh.  I took a sick day yesterday and would have loved to have taken one Wednesday, if it weren't for the fact that I had meetings I couldn't miss and a project that had to get done that day.  sigh.  one day off is better than nothing, right?  And lesson learned-never, ever joke about swine flu in a facebook status.  Anyways, I haven't run since Tuesday...Wednesday was a planned day off to do some much-needed yoga but skipped yesterday's run...and most likely will skip today to kick this thing.  Should I worry?  Or listen to my teammate who said "This is what's called forced taper - and you'll be better for it on race day!"

And because I must get in my reality TV fix to keep my mind off of other things....quote of the week from my brother regarding The City: "proof the city is completely staged and fake...how on earth would a dude selling counterfeit bags on Canal St have a mike on him???"  He has a point...

And glad to see the Yanks back where they belong-in the postseason.  Game 2 is tonite...GO Yanks!!  In a way, it feels like 1998...the year they were so dominant.  And I kinda look back at that year wistfully...when my life made some sort of sense and wanting to be that innocent college graduate again....