“Stay the course. When thwarted try again: harder, smarter. Persevere relentlessly.” ~John Wooden
This week is a celebration of staying the course and persevering despite a fairly bumpy start to this marathon training cycle. Nothing out of the ordinary–just injuries, family events, scheduling logistics…life–little frustrating setbacks and challenges that multiplied over time and caused enough friction to make me question myself and my ability to pull off another 26.2 mile adventure.
As I write this post however, I am feeling relentlessly optimistic again, knowing that Staten Island will see my toes, and my running partner Janet’s toes, on the starting line in six weeks. And what a moment we will share as we run through the five boroughs of New York and cross the finish line in Central Park!
To any of you who might be struggling with your training, you’re definitely not alone. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t bump up against at least a few of these common obstacles during a 16 or 20-week training program. Life happens. It’s how you manage to keep your chin up, your head on straight, and your eyes laser-focused on the prize–that glorious starting line.
Progress, as we know, isn’t always linear, and it’s okay to step back, regroup, start again, and/or figure out a new approach all together. It’s your story to write, and your journey to enjoy, so make it fun and make it work for your lifestyle. Most importantly, stay the course and keep moving forward in some form or another. You will get there!
Success isn’t always linear, and it’s often in the midst of all the twists and turns that we learn the most.
Here’s a peek at my Week #13 training schedule (Sept 11-17):
Mon 9/11: 5 mile recovery trail run at Ellwood Bluffs, core 30 min.
Tues 9/12: Spin class 50 min, strength (leg weights) 25 min.
Wed 9/13: Run 6 miles hills and fartleks
Thur 9/14: Yoga 30 min, rest day
Fri 9/15: Run 4 mile trail run at More Mesa, core 25 min.
Sat 9/16: Run 16 miles
Sun 9/17: Rest & recovery day, walk 2 miles w/ my hubby
Monday was the 22nd Anniversary of 9/11, and even after all these years, it still hits hard. After being glued to all the tributes on TV, mid-morning I opted to lose myself in a trail run. Nature cures much.
Running through the eucalyptus-lined trails of the Ellwood Butterfly Preserve in Goleta, and venturing out to bluffs overlooking the ocean below, a sense of calm and joy always washes over me. It’s the perfect place for a easy recovery run, especially on a Monday morning when my heart was heavy and my body was feeling a little creaky. Five miles later and I was ready to conquer the week.
Tuesday’s cross-training was another high-octane spin class with my favorite instructor Kristine, who always brings the energy. It was a sweatfest, then it was leg day in the weight room.
Morning fuel before spin class: oat yogurt with dates, a banana, and almonds.
My favorite run this week was Wednesday’s late afternoon run. I don’t usually like to run in the evening nearly as much as the morning, but it took me allllll day to get out the door, so when that happens, you get what you get. Thankfully what I got was an incredible run, and I credit that in part to “letting down my hair,” changing it up, and turning it into a “free-form” run (ie-anything goes).
I went to a location I had never run, but often cycled, a nearby rural neighborhood with a couple steep hills, dreamy flats, and a few tiny rollers. The beautiful late afternoon light added to the awesome autumn vibe. My choice of music–some of my fav old rock-n-roll like the Stones–and my choice of hills and fartleks (unstructured and playful speed intervals) had me smiling from ear to ear for the 6 miles I knocked out. It just reminded me once again, that hard work doesn’t have to be torture. It’s a win/win when you push yourself, and still feel the joy bubbling through.
Much of marathon training, and life in general, is about showing up. It’s the simple act of getting out the door, embracing the challenge, and putting in the work, even if your motivation is waning. It’s about getting through aches and pains, life’s scheduling challenges and the onslaught of mental fatigue that often comes with week after week of training. It’s about keeping your eye on the prize, even if that prize still feels like it’s miles away.
That is what this week was about for me: showing up.
Some days training was a struggle, other days it was like butta, but each day of dragging my hiney out the door added a drop of grit into the mental toughness bucket because I didn’t allow excuses to creep into the day.
No matter how much you love running, you will absolutely have days when you’d like to do anything but run. It’s usually those days that are the most important because figuring out ways to overcome your mental block becomes gold on race day, especially when you hit rough patches (and there will definitely be rough patches during a marathon).
Here are a few mental strategies that have helped me over the years:
Create personal mantras. One I lean on often when my motivation is waning is: “Don’t think, just go.” I simply shut down my brain, block out all the things that are pulling me in a different direction, lace up my shoes, and go through the motions of getting out the door. Once out the door, everything usually falls into place. On the run I repeat, “Just keep moving forward.”
Know your “why.” Lean into why you decided to commit to running a marathon. Every person has a different reason. Maybe it’s a Bucket List item. Maybe it’s a milestone celebration like turning 40 or 60. Maybe it’s a cause like Team for Kids, or in honor of somebody. Whatever it is, write it down and put in somewhere prominent so you look at it every day.
Visualize. Imagine yourself running through different parts of your race and visualize yourself successfully crossing the finish line. Internalize how incredible it will feel to reach your goal.
Focus on what feels strong. This is especially helpful during a run. If your calves are grumpy, focus on your core. If your quads are screaming, focus on engaging your glutes. No matter what, you will be able to find strength somewhere in your body, especially your heart and mind.
Week #12 training schedule (Sept. 4-10)
Mon 9/4: Run 5 miles EZ recovery run (Goleta Beach bike path), strength 35 min
Tues 9/5: Spin class 55 min, strength 30 min, walk 2 miles
Wed 9/6: Run 6 miles tempo run (SBCC track and waterfront)
Thurs 9/7: Run 3 miles EZ (Lake Los Carneros), walk 1.2 miles
Fri 9/8: Rest day, walk 1.5 miles
Sat 9/9: Race She.Is.Beautiful 10K plus 1.25 mile WU and 1 mile CD (8.25 miles total)
Sun 9/10: Rest day, walk 1.5 miles
Monday, Monday, so good to me [cue the Mamas & the Papas]…easing back into the week with a nice little recovery run from Goleta Beach.Tuesday’s workout was fueled entirely by caffeine, heart-pumping music, and an awesome spin instructor. Thank you Kristine for always bringing your positive energy to keep us going!Wednesday, I was feeling a little creaky, but there’s nothing like a good warm-up and an inspiring audiobook, (A Race Like No Other: 26.2 Miles Through the Streets of New York), to get you in the right frame of mind to knock out a solid 6-mile tempo run along the waterfront on a gray morning. I always look forward to my veggie sammies afterward with a protein smoothie. Thursday early morning 3 mile cruise around Lake Los Carneros, sporting my “Dream Big” hat for a little motivation, with a big shout out to my friend Jenni Miller and the Smith-Magenis Syndrome research foundation, who created these hats to support this important cause. It always gives me perspective and inspiration when I wear it. After my run, I had the joy of finally catching up with my friend Emma, whom I hadn’t seen all summer. Making time and creating balance while training is the secret sauce to a happy journey to the starting line.Friday was a rest day, so I took a nap, went for a nice walk in nature with my hubby, then tried to figure out what kind of “get-up” I was going to throw together for Saturday’s She.Is.Beautiful 10k. I love this race, which I’ve run 4 or 5 times, and always like to bring a little flare to the morning. These were my options. And this is what I ended up choosing…Continue reading →
It has been eons since I’ve posted, and for that I can only sigh. It seems that when my training started ramping up, so did “life,” which means that writing and sharing my journey back to NYC became a luxury I didn’t have time to indulge in besides a quick Instagram story here or there. I’m back now though, and even though the weeks have already started to blur together like a Polaroid dipped in water, I’ll try to bring you up to speed with a quick recap of the past eights weeks.
In a nutshell, training has been filled with high highs, a few low lows, and a whole lot of regular training days thrown in all along the way. It’s been a sweet dance of savoring the journey and reveling in the effort of pressing personal fitness boundaries again, while also managing the frustration of trudging through several weeks of healing injury setbacks–the price paid for pushing too hard too soon.
Here’s a look back at my training schedule (July 10-Sept 3). I share all the minutia here because I also consider my blog a digital diary, which I enjoy circling back to at times. If you aren’t interested in the daily details you can scroll down to Things I’ve Learned.
Week # 4: Healing hip/glute/SI injury, but still trying to keep moving forward Mon 7/10-XT (swim 525 y, spin 25 min, elliptical 1.25 miles, strength 15 min) Tues 7/11-Rest day and retail therapy buying new fuel and Hoka Clifton running shoes [ !! 🙂 ] Wed 7/12-Strength 40 min Thur 7/13-Spin class (60 min, 25 miles), strength 20 min Fri 7/14-Elliptical 1.5 miles, walk 1.25 miles Sat 7/15-Elliptical 1.65 miles, tested running on treadmill .25 mile (no bueno), strength 10 min Sun 7/16-Walk 1 mile
Week #4 You know you’re an optimist when you’re buying new fuel and shoes while you’re injured.
Week #5: Still healing Mon 7/17-Elliptical 3 miles Tues 7/18-Pool running 50 min Wed 7/19-Walk 1 mile Thurs 7/20-Spin class 40 min (12 miles), walk 1 mile Fri 7/21-Jog 1 mile on treadmill, pool running 30 min Sat 7/22-Core Sun 7/23-Run 3 miles
Week #5 still healing–pool running and an emphasis on going especially easy, gently stretching, and good nutrition helped me turn the corner. Love all the apricots from our tree this time of year!
Week #6: Slowly getting back at it Mon 7/24-Elliptical 3 miles Tues 7/25-Spin class (60 min, 21 miles), strength 40 min Wed 7/26-Run 4 miles EZ at Lake Los Carneros, walk 1.5 miles, core 25 min Thur 7/27-Swim 1025 y, pool running 15 min, strength 10 min Fri 7/28-Run 3 miles EZ at Ellwood Bluffs trail Sat 7/29-Run 8 miles w/ 1-minute walk breaks Goleta Beach bike path Sun 7/30-Rest
Week #6 slowly getting back at it–just trying to stay consistent
Week #7: Trying to build back up Mon 7/31-Run 4 miles (Nite Moves course) Tues 8/1-Spin class (45 min, 12 miles), strength 35 min Wed 8/2-Run 5.75 miles w/Becca at East Beach (Go Team B & B!) Thur 8/3-Yoga 35 min Fri 8/4-Run 3 miles at Ellwood Bluffs trail run Sat 8/5-Run 10 miles w/ 1-minute walk breaks (UCSB Campus Point, More Mesa, Goleta bike path–took a spill and injured my elbow–argh! are you kidding me?) Sun 8/6-Rest
Week #7 trying to build back up and not lose my mind when I added an elbow injury to the mix. WTF?
Week #8: A busy week calls for consistency with flexibility Mon 8/7-Run 4 miles on Patterson bike path, strength 15 min Tues 8/8-Rest day, Core 10 min (Taylor Swift concert in LA!) Wed 8/9-Run 4 miles at Lake Los Carneros after getting home at 3am from TayTay, Elliptical 2 mile Thur 8/10-Spin solo 48 min, strength Fri 8/11-Run 3.2 miles w/Becca at Goleta Beach bike bath Sat 8/12-Run 10 miles in the evening w/ 1 min walk breaks along the waterfront and at SBCC track Sun 8/13-Rest, Walk 1 mile, (helped friends move)
Week #8 A busy week calls for consistency with flexibility. I don’t usually like to run in the evening, but had to squeeze my 10 miles in late. It ended up being one of my favorite runs. #dontthinkjustgo
Week #9: After a storm comes a rainbow Mon 8/14-Run 4 mile trail recovery run at Ellwood Bluffs, core 30 min Tues 8/15-Spin class ez (50 min 11.5 miles) Wed 8/16-Run 5.71 miles w/Becca on the She.Is.Beautiful 10k course Thurs 8/17-Spin class (45 min), strength 35 min (elbow still healing), walk 1 mile Fri 8/18-Drive up to San Francisco to take my daughter back to college (epic) Sat 8/19-Drive back from SF before the storm hit. (doubly epic) Sun 8/20-Run 12 miles w/ 1-min walk breaks from Leadbetter Beach up around Douglas Preserve and back down to East Beach and back
Week #9 A fair amount of stress wrapped itself around this week with taking my daughter back to school in San Francisco, a C_r_a_Z_y drive both ways up and back on the 101 (an overturned celery truck may give you a glimpse into it for starters), and a hurricane heading our way for the first time in a century. But, of course, it all worked out, and as Katy Perry tells us, “after a storm comes a rainbow.”
Week #10: Steady as we go Mon 8/21-Core/strength 35 min, walk 1.5 miles, PM stretch Tues 8/22-Elliptical 3 miles, run .50 miles on treadmill Wed 8/23-Run 5.5 miles (SBCC track and hill repeats at Leadbetter, strength 35 min Thurs 8/24-Spin class 45 min, strength 45 min Fri 8/25-Run 3 miles (UCSB Campus Point trail run), strength 30 min, walk 1 mile Sat 8/26-Run 7 miles w/ Becca (UCSB Campus Point and Goleta bike path) Sun 8/27-Rest, walk 1 mile in nature
Week #10 steady as we go-enjoying the journey, especially running with my friend Becca, who always adds a dollop of light and levity to our miles.
Week #11: Finally feeling strong again! Mon 8/28-Run 4.75 miles w/ rolling hills on Mt. Drive, strength 35 min Tues 8/29-Spin class 50 min, strength 40 min Wed 8/30-Run 6 miles at SBCC track w/ some 800s and 400s Thur 8/31-Spin class 55 min, strength 30 min Fri 9/1-Run 4 miles Goleta Beach bike path and UCSB (testing more new shoes) Sat 9/2-Run 14 miles w/ 1-min walk breaks (Hendry’s Beach, Modoc bike path, Cliff Drive, Douglas Preserve, Shoreline Park, back down to Hendry’s) Sun 9/3-Rest, walk 1.5 mile
Week #11 feeling strong again-stoked to be up to 14 miles, and loving a hint of fall in the air
Things I’ve learned
The older you get, the more closely you need to listen to your body. Ignoring niggles and telling yourself “It’s not that bad” when you feel an ache or a twinge doesn’t often pay off. Twenty-five years ago, when I ran my first marathon, I know for certain I got away with a lot more if I over-trained, under-slept, or over-indulged. At 57, there’s much less room for error. Rest and recovery are as important as reaching new distances or pace numbers. Mobility, mindfulness, and quality nutrition are as important as day after day of quality training.
Instead of pushing back against a body that has had the privilege of enjoying so many fun fitness adventures over the decades, and now may carry a few creaks and scars from those indelible moments, it’s time to lean in and embrace this it for what it can still do and celebrate every step, no matter what speed it cares to move. It’s truly a gift to be able to keep running and challenging ourselves, and a gift that many, many people in this world never get a chance to experience. Can I get a “Hell yeah sister” from anybody else who knows exactly what I’m talking about? 🙂
Rest and recovery are as important as reaching new distances and pace numbers. Mobility, mindfulness, and quality nutrition are as important as day after day of quality training.
~The evolving athlete (me)
Highlights
With the help and generosity of so many of you, I’ve not only reached my $2,620 fundraising goal for Team for Kids, but surpassed it!! I’m so appreciative of all your good wishes and your help in paying it forward to the next generation of runners. Thank you!!!
Congratulations to Anna Stump for winning a new pair of Hoka running shoes during my fundraising giveaway for Team for Kids. I hope they make your feet happy and your heart full as you log your miles, knowing you have supported a great cause and are helping make a difference in the lives of kids.
Even though I’ve reached my personal fundraising goal, there is no finish line when it comes to raising funds to help kids continue to live an active and healthy lifestyle. If you’d still like to contribute to Team for Kids, you can do so HERE. I’d be thrilled to raise just $200 more to reach an even $3,000 by October. Who is in?
Things I’m loving right now
I’ve been struggling to settle into running shoes this training season because my feet are getting a little more sassy. The latest pair I’m trying is Saucony Kinvara 14s. They are light, breathable neutral shoes for short-medium distances. So far, so good! Bonus–they were super discounted. The color might be a little too bright for some, but not for me! Bring on all that sunshine on my feet. 🙂
Lately I’ve been setting aside my beloved music and opting for an audio book during my long runs to mix things up. I’m really enjoying Liz Robbins’A Race Like No Other: 26 Miles Through the Streets of New York. It takes me right back, reminding me why I’m working so hard to get to the starting line again. It’s all about the unique energy, diversity, and quirky details of the city…and then of course, the running.
Even though I’ve been lifting weights on and off since high school and am familiar with all kinds of strength exercises, I realized I was haphazardly throwing together my core and strength work, or spending way too much time overthinking it. Instagram has a way of “reading our minds” [#eyeroll] and Kim Miller Fitness’ strength training for runners kept popping up in my feed. I liked her approach so I finally decided to give her app a whirl. It has been great, saving me time, introducing me to new exercises (videos included), and taking the brain strain out of this important component of training. Link to check it out: Kim Miller Fitness Insta: kimrunsthemitten
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little catch-up session. Thanks for coming along on this long and winding journey with me! I love sharing it with you!
I’m heading back out the door for a run now, but drop me a comment if you can spare some of your precious time, and tell me one thing that has made you smile over the summer with your fitness, or life in general. Positive energy is contagious. Let’s spread it far and wide!
xo Becky
PS: If you’ve missed any of my previous NYC Marathon posts, you can click here to check them out:
I couldn’t think of a more appropriate reminder this week. Credit: Leo Soleoado
It has been a week of highs and lows and a whole lot of recovery, reflection, and rollicking fun.
On Monday I launched into the week fired up, ready to take on a speed work session that I knew would push me hard: 16 x 200s on the track. And indeed it did. When it was all said and done though, I left tired, of course, but feeling strong. The best part was that it was an excellent mental boost pushing through the discomfort that comes with trying to regain running fitness. I ended the day doing 40 minutes of core work and foot exercises, then focused on recovery—eating nutritious food, re-hydrating, stretching, foam rolling, soaking, massaging my legs with my Theragun, then elevating them on a wall, and finally, going to bed early. Boom. All good stuff.
Monday pushing around the red oval followed by core and foot exercises.
Tuesday was the 4th of July and I was happy to be able to give back to our running community by volunteering at a local 5k trail race, the Semana Nautica at Elings Park. I loved seeing many of my friends crush this tough course–with smiles on their faces, no less!
Race day on a cool, gray 4th of July. Go John and Ashlee!!!
My Tuesday training schedule called for cross-training so in the late afternoon I did a short run on our ElliptiGo in the garage followed by some upper body strength work and stretching. After yesterday’s toughie at the track, I took my recovery day seriously.
Tuesday ElliptiGo cross-training, arm weights and stretching.
Wednesday is when things took a turn. An easy 6 mile run was on my schedule with a prescribed 10:37 pace. While I felt good during the run, hitting not only my pace down to the second during those 6 miles, and focusing on my cadence and technique, I knew in my heart of hearts that the pace I was running was not truly “easy”—especially on a warm afternoon with little sleep the night before. You know where I’m going with this…
A warm afternoon 6 miler on a blue sky day. Loved some cool watermelon afterward.
At about mile 4.5 my body let me know. Specifically, my left S.I./glute/hip started feeling a little jacked up, and even though I knew better, I pushed to the end because I told myself that it wasn’t that bad. How many times have we all said those same delusional words to ourselves over the years, only to pay the price for our stubborn determination? Or is that just me? Argh.
Needless to say, it did not go well. By the time I got out of my car back at home, I could barely put weight on my foot without shooting pain to my hip and lower back. Out came the ice, Advil, arnica, foam roller, lacrosse ball and yoga mat for stretching. This chica was not messing around. Later it was a soak in epsom salts and more arnica and ice.
By morning, it felt a little better so I optimistically foolishly decided to head to my Thursday spin class where I cranked out some high octane miles. I did relinquish high gears and climbing out of the saddle, but still put in a significant effort. Afterwards I did a quick lower leg weight session on machines where I could sit. The universe did me a favor and saved me from myself though, when a phone call pulled me away from the gym and sent me to go work on something that needed immediate attention. It’s a good thing because a short while later, my lower back/glute/hip was completely off the rails.
Here’s where the logical, smart person in me finally took over…
Like the sign says at Women’s Athletic Club of Santa Barbara, “It doesn’t get easier, you just get stronger.”
Getting back into marathon training shape has felt harder than I imagined it would (and should) be, but as I give myself grace, relax about my current pace, and just focus on the purpose of each run, enjoying the journey along the way, I’m starting to feel like I’m heading in the right direction again.
Small differences. Sweet moments of joy. Tiny increases in my speed and cadence. A little less huffing and puffing. A little more gliding. Each contributing to a renewed sense of positivity.
The hardest part is being patient with myself, even though I know full well this is not a sprint, but rather a long, winding marathon adventure, filled with zigs and zags, hills and valleys, and a whole lot of time to think and appreciate the process.
What made the difference this week, besides patience and consistency, was adding in a little speed work, reminding my body that it could get out of first gear and hold up to the additional load. Nothing crazy, just some up tempo running and a 1-mile time trial. Even more than the physical gain, the mental gain was just what I needed to reassure myself that my body could hold up to the strain. Having a history of injuries during marathon training over the years, I’ve likely been overly cautious as I’ve been building back up, but now I know as I ease into it, I can trust my body, which is unbelievably freeing.
My friend Janet and I are running the NYC Marathon together on November 5th.The two of us have been friends for nearly four decades after being thrown together as college roommates our freshman year at Lewis & Clark College. We took this selfie back in April during a run we did when she was visiting from Oregon. We were laughing so hard, it’s lucky we didn’t fall off the cliff!
When I signed up to run the New York City Marathon with my friend Janet last November, I was incredibly excited, but because it was so far off, it felt more like a gauzy notion than a substantive goal. If you want to know how it all started, you can read my blog post about it HERE. Now, with 20 weeks to go, this shit just got real. I couldn’t be more fired up, focused, and ready to take on four months of disciplined training.
My number one goal is to get to the starting line in one piece. That means staying healthy, happy, and injury-free, ready to charge through the five boroughs of New York with Janet who is running her first full marathon. Let’s go! There is nothing like your first marathon, and I can’t wait to share that experience with her.
My second goal is to savor this special journey back to the Big Apple. This will be the 25th anniversary of the first time I ran the New York City Marathon. My first adventure through the city back in 1998 got me hooked on marathons for life. It became the first of nine marathons I’ve run so far, including two which were part of Ironman triathlons. I’m especially excited to return to the Big Apple to run my 10th marathon and soak up that “Only in New York” energy.
My third goal is to raise funds for Team for Kids, a fantastic nonprofit that brings free health and fitness programs to schools in NYC and across the country. Team for Kids focuses on developing healthy attitudes toward running and physical activity, building confidence, and boosting motivation, which of course, is totally my jam. By being part of this team and raising funds, I’m thrilled to be able to pay it forward to the next generation of runners so they can experience all the joy and life-changing benefits this sport has to offer.
Here’s a snapshot of what my first official week of training looked like:
Week #1 (June 18-25)
Sunday: Run 55 min easy pace [5 miles] plus 10 min dynamic warm-ups and 10 min cool down and stretching
Monday: REST (walk, core and foot exercises, and stretching)
Tuesday: Cross-train (45 min spin bike [12 miles approx], 30 min strength training)
Wednesday: Run (45 min easy pace [4.2 miles] plus 10 min dynamic warm-ups and 10 min cool down) as well as 30 min core exercises, and 10 min foot exercises
Thursday: Cross-train (45 min spin bike class with Kristine [13 miles approx], 30 min strength training)
Friday: Cross-train (45 min elliptical [4.5 miles], 15 min rowing, 30 min core exercises)
Saturday: Run (76 min easy pace [6.5 miles] plus 10 minute dynamic warm-ups and 15 minute cool down walk/jog), as well as foot exercises and stretching
Sunday: REST (walk, foot exercises and stretching)
Snapshots:
Sunday long run 5 miles easy paceTuesday x-t spin bike plus weightsWednesday 4.2 miles easy paceFriday x-t elliptical running 4.5 miles, plus rowing and coreSaturday long run 6.5 miles easy pace. Road, bike path, trail, sand and a nice ice bath for the legs in the ocean afterward
Highlights:
• Spectacular weather after three months of Graypril, May Gray and June Gloom.
• The simple fact of being consistent and knowing one week is officially in the books. And looking forward to rocking next week!
• Raising $860 for Team for Kids in the first week of fundraising. Thank you to James & Hensley, Jenni, Emma, Sarah & Richard, Susan, Jen, Deborah, Kirsten, and Christina! With your generosity, we are now 1/3 of the way to my goal of $2,620 (for the 26.2 miles I’ll be running). My gratitude runs deep.
If you’d like to support my marathon effort and help create running programs for schools across the US, and get kids fired up about a lifetime of health and fitness, click on the link to my Team for Kids fundraising page HERE. No donation is too small, and for every $10 you donate, you will automatically be entered into my giveaway for a pair of Hoka running/walking shoes. All the details are in the link.
Cheers to our awesome fitness community, setting new goals and to kicking off another adventure!
It was 4:30 Monday afternoon when a text dinged my phone. Trying not to be annoyed by it, but too curious to ignore it, I opened one eye and squinted, barely lifting my head as I struggled to find my phone. I had been curled up on the couch battling the virus from hell for several days now—the kind where your ribs are so excruciatingly filleted from coughing, you wonder if you may broken them.
When I saw the text was from Planet, however, my other eyelid popped open without complaint.
Reaching for my glasses, and blinking to clear my eyes, I delved into her lengthy message. It didn’t take long before a huge smile swept across my face. The gist of it was that after watching the New York City Marathon the day before, she was reminded of how badly she had always wanted to do this Bucket List Race, and how she had finally decided the time was right. I knew that feeling well. Things hit you at just the right moment and then there’s no turning back. The best part was that she asked me if I’d like to come along for the ride.
“OMG LOVE IT!!!!!!!!” I answered a bit later after the fog lifted from my brain. “It’s such a fun race. I have the bug too. I have literally been googling marathons for the past few days. Let me give it some thought…”
I had just completed Ironman California two weeks earlier, and although I still recovering, I was already thinking about my next adventure. Running New York with Janet (Planet) would be a hoot, and an honor, and the perfect challenge to share with my dear friend whom I’ve known ever since we were thrown together as roommates our Freshman year in college–mind-bendingly, thirty-eight years ago. How is that even possible—especially since we often both still act like our shoe sizes?
The last big adventure Planet and I had done together was a girls trip to Tibet and Nepal in 2000. Journeying to Lhasa, Mt. Everest Base Camp, Kathmandu, and points in between was a trip that will forever be seared in my memory. We had always hoped to do more epic adventures together, but life has a way of getting in the way.
A half hour later I texted her again, “The more I think about it, the giddier I become! I ran my first NYC Marathon 25 frickin’ years ago…it would be such a blast!!! EPIC!!!”
That’s really all it took.
“Shall we hit the register button?” I asked after another round of OMGs, pump up emojis, and exclamation points on both ends.
“Let’s do it!” she replied.
Thus began Janet and Becky’s Next Big Adventure! November 5, 2023 is now boldly marked in red on our calendars
Because we were afraid to take our chances with the lottery in February, we both joined the New York Road Runners charity team, Team for Kids, which raises funds for youth running and community programs. Being a youth running coach myself, this felt like a perfect fit and a meaningful way to give back to the sport that has given me so much over the years.
The countdown is officially on! Three hundred and sixty days until we head to the Big Apple to toe the line on Staten Island!
Now my ribs have even more motivation to heal quickly!! 🙂
Run Be Run 