Here Comes Hell...and It's Uphill

Blogging is a hard thing to keep up with. Between the actual running, school work, and my current personal issues, I haven't really felt like blogging, even though I've been running.

Yesterday I did my first tempo run (slow for a mile, faster for a mile, slower, and then faster again). I did it wrong, but I also did it WAY faster than I needed to (one of those was a 10:15 mile!).  It was also my first time running with the Black Girls Run group. I was afraid that the group wouldn't suit my running needs (everyone would be too fast or slow), but the ladies were lovely and so welcoming! I definitely want to keep running with them! It's also great because a lot of them will also be running the Percy Sutton Harlem 5k this Saturday. Because of the race, I had to change around my schedule in a way that's less than optimal. I have a 6 mile long run with Kim on Friday morning, and the race on Saturday! I know you're supposed to take a day to recover after a long run, but that simply wasn't gonna happen this week. Add to that the fact that although this is only a 5k, it's a pretty brutal one. The first 1.5 miles is apparently straight uphill. The goal is to beat my PR for a 5k, which was 33:33, but if I don't, I won't beat myself up too much. Hills are no joke! Wish me luck...the next few days are literally going to be an uphill battle.

P.S.-That's the part that's hard because of the running. Tomorrow, my amazing boyfriend moves to China for 2 years, and I can't stop bursting into tears at the drop of a hat....so yeah, this week is the worst.

I 5K. O.ed that Race!

I ran my first ever 5k on Sunday, with the boyfriend. After having done 3.1 miles with Kim on Friday (in 35:34), I was feeling pretty confident that I could do it faster, and without dying. The good news is that I did...my official final time was 33:33! It felt good to get out there and see what it's like to actually be part of a race. The weather was beautiful and the course was across the Brooklyn Bridge and back, so the view was also amazing. Unfortunately, the Bk bridge has a pretty intense incline that I had never noticed, but on the way back, around the 2 mile mark, people started dropping like flies. The Bf saved me by suggesting that we stop briefly at the water table, which was the 10 second recovery I needed to get over that incline. Having him next to me made the race so much more fun, and much easier. He could've run that 5k much faster, but he stuck with me and provided much needed encouragement and support. He's moving away for a while soon, and I'll miss him terribly, but also I'll miss having him as a sometimes running buddy. I know he'll be supporting me from over there as well, especially since he's started training for a marathon in December. We'll have a running conversation going about our progress:)

Running is Better With Friends!

On Friday, I tried my first run with a buddy! Til now, Kim has been my football/beer and wings/shopping friend/colleague, but I had no idea she was into running. She agreed to do my long runs with me once a week, which I'm sure will make them much less boring! Her particular brand of offbeat humor and hilarious cynicism could help anyway make their way through a torturous long run! Unfortunately, this requires a long trek to the LES, but it's worth it to have an awesome running buddy! We did 3.1 miles in order to prep me for the 5k on Sunday. It was hot and hard and I was extremely thirsty, but the awesome company helped me keep it moving. ProTip: Running is fun, but running with friends is better. Right now, Kim is definitely in the running for the best workout buddy I've ever had (yep, terrible pun, give me a break, I'm a few days behind).

6 10 minute miles? I told you I was a beginner!

Tonight, I went to my first running club experience ever. Saturday when I was at Paragon, the guys there told me they have a running group that meets on Tuesday, and that it was ok even for beginners. The workout today was a 1 mile warmup, 6 3min fast/2min slow intervals, and a 1 mile cool down. I was assured we'd be split into pace groups, but they only divided us into two groups: faster than 10. min miles and slower than 10 min miles. My half marathon pace is 12:45 per mile, so that was really, really fast, especially since my max distance before tonight was 2.25 miles. Tonight, I ran almost 6 miles at my fastest pace yet, and I didn't even mean to. It was hard and I almost quit halfway through, but I started walking the slow sections.  I completely lost the group and was absolutely the slowest person there, but I got back and joined them before the cool down. When I rejoined them, 3 women from the group who had noticed my struggle gave me high fives and congratulated me for making it back:) My app told me that even though I had been walking the slow bits, this was my fastest and longest run ever. Bf and I are signed up for a 5k this Sunday, and after tonight, I'm super confident that I can kill it! Tonight seemed good, but I'm still reserving some judgment, cause I haven't seen the footage yet:)

Running in a Couple?

On Sunday, I ran with the BF, who's a bona fide marathoner. I was excited to have a running buddy, and someone to give me some pro tips, but a little scared to totally embarrass myself. Fortunately, as always, he was patient and sweet, even though he's MUCH faster and stronger than I am. I ran 2.25 miles and picked up the pace to average 11:30/mi. I'm  glad that he's with me encouraging me as I start all of this, and happy that we have another thing that we can share, especially since he'll be moving away for a bit soon. Our running goal is the Anchorage Marathon next June:)

A Paragon of Epic Shoe Fail...then Shoe Buying!

I finished my 2 mile run that I never though possible! Woohoo! But now my feet hurt, due to my sad excuse for shoes (a pair of fashion Pumas from 2005...seriously, 2005). This problem required immediate attention. I went straight from the park to Paragon   Sports. I had heard it was the spot for athletic shoe buying, and I had no other ideas, so there I went. First, I went crazy in the apparel section (my shorts cause chaffing, which was also a problem that needed fixed...immediately). Then I descended to the almighty footwear basement. I stared hopelessly at the giant wall of shoes for at least 5 minutes, praying that someone would offer me some help. What are all these brands, tags, support types, colors, numbers? I needed serious assistance. Fortnately, at the exact moment I began to seriously despair, a lovely salesdude appeared, like some kind of running angel.

Salesdude: Can I help you?
Me: Yes, please, please, I'm so confused. I just signed up for a half marathon and I never ran a day in my life before today and I really need shoes!
Salesdude: You've never run before?
Me: No. Yeah, I know. Please help.

Salesdude Angel put me on a treadmill, told me I overpronated, and brought me pairs until I found one that made me feel like I had been born with them on. I bought the Asics GT-2000 (in purple, natch), and kept it moving. Thanks, Salesdude Angel! Now, hopefully I'll be able to avoid the agony of de feet:)

How It Started/I Can Run 2 Miles? Take a Hike!

So last week, I'm talking to my lovely boyfriend (heretofore referred to as Bf), who is himself a marathon runner, and somehow, I also decide to run a marathon. I'm not sure how it happened, but all of a sudden I was googling training programs, and entrance fees, and shoes, and there I was, down the running rabbit hole. One small problem:

I'M AN ASTHMATIC SOCIAL SMOKER WHO HAD BARELY RUN A DAY IN MY LIFE.
(And that counts high school gym, which I usually used my asthma to avoid)

Now that's out of the way...

I decided to take it down a notch. Maybe just the half marathon for now, see how that goes, and try for the big kahuna later on. Before I could change my mind, I registered for the Staten Island Half Marathon in October, and signed up with a virtual training plan through NYRR.

But the training plan starts with a 3 mile run! I can't run 3 miles! I can't run 3 meters! Can I?

There was only one way to find out. On Saturday, I laced up my pathetic excuse for athletic shoes, put on some 5 dollar Sofee shorts, and hopped the train to Central Park. I downloaded the Nike+Running app (highly recommended), put on some jams, and started running...slowly. Just as I was getting tired, the little Nike voice told me I had completed one mile. One mile! I decided I could survive running back the way I came. It was rough, but when the voice said 2 miles, I almost died of happiness. If I could run 2, I could run 3. And if I could run 3, I could run 4, and so on until 13.1 (and eventually 26.2)!  It's not gonna be easy, but here we go! I'm hitting the ground running (there's the pun)!