Your mind, body, and soul may go into shock when your alarm starts blaring a relentless cacophony of not-so-gentle “encouragement” to get your a$$ out of bed at o’dark-thirty, but no matter how hard it feels, you will never regret starting your day with an early morning run.
Seeing the sun rise, feeling your heart pumping and endorphins flowing, and knowing you’ve already logged a completely life-affirming run before most people have made toast, makes it impossible not to feel optimistic about the day ahead.
Believe me, I understand the struggle can be real, and I relate to all of you who share your foot-long list of reasons why it may not be something you want to do, especially during the winter, but once you get into the routine, you will find joy in the quiet beauty and badass-ness of it all, and thank yourself for rising to the challenge.
Also, keep in mind this is why coffee was invented. 🙂
Here’s what else will help you get out the door for a sunrise run…
I wanted to swing by on this last day of 2023 to wish you all a Happy New Year and tell you how much I appreciate you. Thank you for taking time out of your busy days to read my musing about running, triathlons, and life in general, and for supporting all of my adventures, big and small. Community is what makes all these moments come together into a wave of joyful memories.
As we get ready to launch into the new year, I hope you’ll take time to savor all the gifts that 2023 handed you, especially the gift of health and fitness. No matter how old I get, I will never cease to be amazed by what our bodies can do if we treat them well and give them the opportunity to excel. Nor will I ever become numb to how much joy and gratification there is in pushing our limits to see what is possible.
Cheers to setting new goals in 2024, pushing outside our comfort zones, which is where all the magic happens, and to reveling in the beauty of that process all along the way.
I can’t wait to connect with you again in the new year and share some exciting new goals and upcoming adventures. 2024 is looking bright already!
What are you looking forward to most in the new year? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop them in the comments below.
It’s hard to know where to begin with my 2023 NYC Marathon race report because the level of EPICness was off the charts. I’ll just start by telling you that my facial muscles are still recovering from smiling and laughing so much. This race was an absolute hoot from start to finish, even when my legs were screaming.
Let’s start at the beginning though. I flew in to New York with my husband and daughter Thursday afternoon after starting our days at 3:30 am in Santa Barbara (Jeffrey and me) and San Francisco (Olivia). My awesome decades-long friend/college BFF/running partner, Janet Cook, arrived later that evening from Hood River, OR.
Friday morning Janet and I hopped on a subway to the Jacob Javits Center, where we picked up our race bibs and immersed ourselves in all things marathon. The flurry of positive vibes hit us the moment we walked into the convention center. You could feel the joy, excitement, and nerves, as well as a large dose of mutual admiration, swirling together as each of us knew how much we had put into getting to this weekend, and how lucky we were to finally be here.
In addition to the many photo ops, vendors, and speakers, there was an overwhelming amount of merch for sale, which sucked us in for far too long. We left walloped, but giddy, ready to finally get this party started!
Saturday Janet and I went on a shake-out run through Central Park on a classic, crisp autumn morning. We couldn’t get over our luck with the perfect weather, especially since it had rained every single weekend for over two months straight. A USATF 5k Championship race was taking place while we were there, with multitudes of runners and walkers blazing through the park, which only added to the charged atmosphere. As Janet and I stopped to take one of our many selfies along the way, a runner wearing a chicken costume photo bombed us, which sent us totally over the edge. So classic.
Saturday evening, after cruising around the city with my family far more than anyone would recommend the day before a big race, Janet and I met up to go over our race gear, fuel, and logistics. We got it all dialed in, and in the process, my laugh muscles got a massive workout as Janet tried to figure out how she was going to carry all her fuel during this race, momentarily opting for the “vending machine” look. OMG this chica has a future in stand-up.
RACE DAY: Sunday morning arrived in a blink, with our Lyft driver arriving at 5:15 to take us to our private Team for Kids ferry, which would then take us to Staten Island. When we arrived at the dock, we were greeted by our fabulous teammates as well a beautiful sunrise, reinforcing that indeed, it really was our day. Everything felt perfect. Our ferry even cruised right past the Statue of Liberty on the way.
Once on Staten Island our team was guided to buses, which took us to Fort Wadsworth military installation a few miles away. This is where we would station ourselves until we lined up for the start of the race on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. Our bus driver, Vinny, had driven runners to the start of this marathon for the past 20 years, which earned him a rousing round of applause from our bus full of appreciative athletes.
When we arrived at Fort Wadsworth we were led to the private Team for Kids tent area, complete with food, drinks, heat, fantastic volunteers, and porta-potties exclusively for our team—a huge amenity with 51,000+ runners. Inside our designated area we ate, stretched, hung out, took pictures, got our gear just right, peeled off our warm clothes and placed them in donation boxes. Then we warmed up and mentally prepared ourselves to run 26.2 miles.
I wrote DAD on my hand, just like I did 25 years ago when I ran this race in honor of him. Once again, I would honor him, and focus on some of his last words to me: “You are a tough bird.” He would be tickled that I was still loving life and chasing after it all at 57, when his life was cut short by cancer at 51. I also wrote the names of my #1 Support Crew (aka my husband, Jeffrey, and daughter, Olivia), who have always been there for me on every crazy adventure, and who sacrifice a lot so I can train and do special events like this. I knew I would be leaning on their love and support to help carry me through. Thank you, dear peeps.
In no time, it was our turn to queue up for the start of the race. Helicopters hovered overhead and a Jumbotron live streamed the elite runners who were sprinting the entire marathon–an awe-inspiring sight, which got us even more fired up. We were placed in a special Team for Kids corral inside the Pink Wave 2 group. When Janet and I saw that our corral was with the 3:45 finishers we simultaneously howled and got nauseous.
As we all began moving toward the starting line on the bridge, heart-pumping music pulsed through the air. Adrenaline surged. Butterflies got busy. Then came a beautiful rendition of the national anthem sung by a fellow runner, followed by the announcer’s “radio party voice:”
“All right Wave #2 I want them to hear you in Brooklyn this morning! LET’S WAKE UP THE NEIGHBORS!!!” to which we hooted and hollered.
“A sea of humanity from New York City awaits you, runners! Enjoy every step of your marathon journey!
“Wave #2, on your mark”……BOOM…the cannon exploded, signaling the start of our journey through the five boroughs of New York. Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York began wafting through the air, which instantly produced a lump in my throat.
“Oh shit!” the young woman squealed behind us, like she was momentarily terrified and still in denial that this was actually happening.
Janet and I hugged, screamed, laughed, high-five, then began shuffling with the crowd until we could eventually ease into a nice warm-up run pace heading over the bridge toward Brooklyn. “Oh my god, we’re doing this!!!!! We are moving, we are moving,” we joked in our best Eddie Murphy Coming to America voices. (IYKYK).
As it turned out, there was no need for our prior pseudo-freakout about being placed in the 3:45 pace group because there was quickly plenty of room for everyone to spread so there was little chance of being trampled or slowing anyone down. Team for Kids knows what it’s doing.
My only disappointment in this entire race was that our corral ran on the bottom span of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge instead of over the iconic top span, which I was hoping Janet could experience, like I had when I ran my first three races here. With 51,000+ runners though, you win some and you lose some. It was a minuscule detail in the grand scheme of our awesome day, and we were appreciative of how flawless this event was run, and especially blown away by Team for Kids, who took care of us with their extraordinary hospitality, organization, and attention to every detail. The silver lining of running on the lower span was that our legs saved a tiny bit of energy because it has a smaller incline than the top. Either way, the start of the race gets your heart pumping right away. Fortunately, it’s only for about a mile, and then you quickly start descending.
As we were coming down across the bridge and heading into Brooklyn we both knew we were running too fast so we slowed down, reminding ourselves we had a long day ahead of us.
It wasn’t long before Brooklyn’s massive “street party” wrapped its raucous arms around us. It was block after block, mile after mile of nonstop support. All of our senses were bombarded with people clapping, cheering, hooting and hollering, clanking cowbells, tooting horns, and banging pans and buckets. Large party poppers exploded, launching confetti into the air. People held clever, and often hysterically off-color signs, and handed out everything from oranges, pretzels, and drinks to napkins and an assortment of candy options. Bands played rocking music, dancers shook their groove thing, spectators called out our names as if we were their best friends. “Go Becky! Go JC! You’re looking strong!” “Yeah ladies, power on!”
The energy bouncing back and forth between runners and spectators was intoxicating. Every kind of person showed up. Families. Young people. Old people. Stylish people. Sporty people. College kids drinking and celebrating their dizzying Brooklyn race day tradition. Costumed people (a giant pickle being one of my favs). People peacefully making political statements. Languages from near and far and beautiful skin tones to match. The love, energy, and untold smiles we received from Brooklyn launched us right up into Queens. Pure magic.
I was having so much fun mixing it up with the crowd, high-fiving rows of kids, hitting nearly every sign that said, “Tap here to Power Up,” encouraging the crowd to chant Janet’s nickname: “JC, JC, JC”, and telling them it was her first marathon, and witnessing her reaction to the magic of this day, I have to admit I took my eye off the my fuel and hydration. It was also rapidly heating up from 54 degrees to 61 degrees, and I was already sweating buckets. I should have been downing a ton of electrolytes and salt chews in between deeply reveling in the joy of it all. But…Alas.
My quads felt it first. Oh oh. Then my calves got twingy and thought about getting grumpy. Just before we hit the half-way point on the Pulaski Bridge, I pounded my Nuun electrolytes again, another SIS gel, and a salted watermelon chew, then threw a prayer up to the heavens that it wouldn’t get any worse.
Then we reached the Queensboro Bridge, which is long and devoid of spectators. Janet said a mantra out loud, “Run the mile you’re in.” So perfect. “Just keep moving forward,” I repeated to myself as we worked our way up the incline. Then I chirped, “We like hills, we eat them up. We like hills, we never give up.”
We were right on pace to reach a sub-5 hour finish, which is what Janet was quietly hoping for after both of us having to adjust our training many times due to injuries and bumps along the way. I had zero expectations for a finish time. My only goal was to soak up the joy and madness of this crazy marathon again after 25 years, and celebrate Janet’s first marathon, but I 1000% wanted Janet to reach her goal, no matter what.
Coming off the quiet and challenging Queensboro Bridge just past Mile 16, and turning onto the cacophony of 1st Avenue lifted our spirits ten feet off the ground. Throngs of spectators instantly took our minds off our bodies with their chanting, cowbell’ing, and hooting and hollering, and boy was I happy about that because my legs were getting loud and sassy.
One of the most remarkable moments came when Janet somehow, in the midst of thousands of spectators, spotted her friend Chrissie, who had flown to NY to cheer her on. I still don’t know how she saw her, but what a fun moment for all! I was thrilled I happened to have my camera out right then.
My support crew had initially planned to go near the same area, but got stuck in the maze of barriers in Central Park. They could see us on the live stream in the park though, and snapped this fun photo of us as we continued our way up 1st Avenue in Queens, heading toward The Bronx.
When we reached our fourth bridge of the day, the Willis, at Mile 20, I could see in Janet’s gait and body language that she was feeling strong, and could definitely do more, so I insisted she take off so she could reach her goal. She was hesitant, not wanting to abandon me, but I was adamant. “This may be the only marathon you ever do in your entire life. You go and see what you can do. GO CRUSH IT!!!” With that, she picked up her pace, and I happily continued on solo, knowing she would reach her goal. She is the epitome of grit. Remember, this is the woman who broke ribs on both sides of her body while windfoiling just a few short months ago, then got right back at training as soon as she could breathe semi-deeply again.
The last 6 miles were what you might expect, especially when my longest training run was only 18 miles for this race. It simply came down to mind over matter.
What’s an extra 6.2 miles?You’ve done this many times before, I reminded myself. You know how to finish.
I counted steps…1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…focused on what felt strong at the moment (that was difficult to ascertain – haha), thought about my dad, and also thought about all my Team for Kids supporters who generously donated to this awesome organization. Our team raised 7 million dollars during this event! Then I thought about all the little kids who would likely grow up to run this remarkable race themselves.
I continued to soak up the energy of the crowd who constantly called out my name and propelled me to the next aid station. I thanked volunteers profusely, just like I had throughout the entire race, because this event would be half of what it is without them. Such heroes.
At mile 23, a volunteer shrieked, “Hey, my name is Becky too!! Do you want a banana?” That received a big high-five and a, “Hell yes!” from me. Cheers to you, Becky! That banana and your joyful energy were just what I needed.
Between mile 24 and 25 it felt like people were dropping like flies. One guy on my right suddenly tripped, and in a shocked, adrenaline-induced moment somehow popped right back up, only to realize he may have broken his ankle. Poor guy. Argh. Not much farther up the road, I came across another warrior, a guy from Texas, whom Janet and I had been running with in Brooklyn, laying on his back with one leg in the air as another runner tried to press his foot back to release the cramp in his calf. Some were staggering. Others were limping and grunting.
“Just keep moving forward,” I told myself.
Then suddenly out of nowhere, I heard my people cheering for me!! OMG, where did they come from? I was expecting to see them in the grandstands at the finish line, but this was even better! What a wonderful moment seeing their smiling faces on Central Park South! Olivia was jumping up and down and screaming, “Go Mom!!!!” and Jeffrey was doing his crazy soccer announcer voice, “Go Beeckyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!! You got this Beeeeeeeeee!!!!” I didn’t know they were going to be at that location, so as luck would have it, I was on the other side of the street, which prevented me from stopping and hugging them, but I felt their love deeply. Jeffrey captured a little video as I pushed on down the road. “Only 1 more mile to go. You can do anything for 1 mile.” I reminded myself.
Oh man, that one mile was a loooonnng one, but the park was glorious in its blaze of color, and the spectators made us feel like we were all 1st Place finishers. There was no way they were going to allow us to slow down or stop, no matter how much our bodies were complaining.
And then, just like that, with one final uphill push, the finish line appeared. Halle-freaking-lujah!! Another unforgettable New York City Marathon in the books. What a day!! 5:08:09. I’ll take it, especially since it nearly matched my finish time from 25 years ago. 658 out of 1,322 in our age group. Stats were not the point of this race though, AT ALL. I got everything I came for and more. Especially when I saw that Janet crossed the finish line 19 SECONDS ahead of her 5 hour goal!!!!!! She killed it!!!!! So incredibly happy for her, and proud of her. Welcome to the wonderful world of marathon running, my friend!
What made this moment especially fabulous was when
As we head into the last few days of training before hopping on a plane to NYC, I’m feeling charged, organized, and ready to take on 26.2 once again. I’d be lying though, if I told you that butterflies weren’t getting busy in my tummy.
Even after all these years of running and all these races, they still visit like clockwork, and that’s a good thing because it means I’m still excited (understatement), and a wee bit nervous, fully acknowledging that the challenge ahead is big enough to push me beyond my everyday limits. No matter how many marathons you run, covering 26.2 miles is still a test of mind, body, spirit.
While a marathon is obviously meant to be a race, it means a whole lot more to me than just that. In fact, if I’m honest, I’m not really “race” racing this one in the classic sense, but rather focusing on fully absorbing the experience again, and looking at it as a celebration of my longevity in running and my everlasting love of the sport.
Being able to circle back to New York 25 years after I ran my first marathon there is truly a gift; and to run it with my dear friend Janet as she crushes her first marathon while also being part of a team raising funds so kids across the nation can fall in love with the sport we love so much, it doesn’t get any better.
And those electric butterflies circling? They are ones of deep, deep gratitude for my health and fitness, which I never take for granted, especially on this journey back which has been filled with some bumps along the way. And they are butterflies of tremendous joy that I GET to do this again. How lucky am I (and the 50,000 other runners who are taking on this challenge)? For a 57-year old runner, this feels like a fantastic gift. #pinchme
After this last post, I will catch you all on the flip side of the race and let you know how it went. Your good thoughts for #24080 and her badass sidekick #24198 are appreciated!! Woot! Woot!
In the meantime, here’s a look back at Week 19 & 20 training schedule (Oct 23-Nov 5):
Mon 10/23: Run 4.22 miles with the second half at a “controlled discomfort pace”
Tues 10/24: Spin class 60 min medium/EZ, core & mobility 30 min
Wed 10/25: Run 4.45 miles on undulating hills, walk 1.5 miles w/ my hubby
Thur 10/26: Rest, core & mobility 20 min
Fri 10/27: 5K self-timed TT, core & mobility
Sat 10/28: Run 7.75 run with Becca
Sun 10/29: Rest & recovery day (walk with my hubby)
Mon 10/30: Run 4.17 miles with 2 x 5 min @ 10K pace
Tues 10/31: Cross-train 30 min ez, core & mobility
Wed 11/1: Run 3 miles easy
Thurs 11/2: Travel day
Fri 11/3: Expo
Sat 11/4: Shake-out run
Sun 11/5: RACE DAY!!
Monday: It was a blue bird day to kick off the week, and no better way to find my happy place. The schedule called for a 40 min run, with the second half run at a “controlled discomfort.” I ran it thinking about the last 4 miles of the marathon, visualizing powering through the last 2.2 miles and finishing strong with a smile on my face. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Tuesday: Knocked out another of my favorite spin classes with Kristine, one of the most positive, funny, motivating instructors you’ll find. It’s always a joy to take her class and get my butt kicked. I followed it up with a short and sweet core & mobility sesh at home.
Wednesday: It was a cool autumn morning, perfect for 45 minute scamper with some undulating hills, starting and ending at East Beach. Once again, I focused on visualizing race day, getting up the last hills in Central Park at the end of the race. I tested out a new pair of Zensah calf sleeves too, to make sure they would feel good for race day. Yep.
Thursday: It was a rest day with some core & mobility work, but mostly it was a “stop and smell the roses” kind of day. My sweet sister-in-law, Jess, and brother Scott, sent me a surprise package in the mail with this cute run shirt, along with pampering foot mask socks and CHOCOLATE to celebrate the journey. Totally made my day, and reminded me once again that it’s the little things that are the big things.
Friday: 5K time trial. It was fun to see my progress since the beginning of this training cycle, even though I intentionally didn’t run full throttle (just 3/4 throttle). At this point in the game, it’s more about keeping sharp and healthy and avoiding injury. I found a happy balance that left me feeling confident and energized.
Saturday: What a treat to knock out my last long run with my friend Becca on another spectacular Santa Barbara morning. Becca is one of those unassuming “beast” runners, someone who is super sweet, but unknowingly pushes you to be a better runner. Thank you Becca! My legs were a little heavy, perhaps from Friday’s time trial, but my heart was light, appreciating what a beautiful journey this has all been, and knowing that next weekend I’ll be in running through the streets of NY.
Sunday: It was a rest & recovery day, and a perfect morning to catch up with a dear friend Kimberly for coffee. Thank you friend! And thank you taper days for giving me so much more time and flexibility to be able to do this again without rushing to squeeze it in.
Monday: Yesterday was a classic autumn afternoon in which I celebrated the end of this training cycle with a big high five and a chuckle as I cruised through a neighborhood ablaze with Halloween humor and cheer. Janet and I have officially made it! Phew! Now it’s on to the starting line on Staten Island to enjoy our victory celebration through New York’s unforgettable 26.2 mile street party!
As I sign off, I want to thank you all again for your incredible support, uplifting messages, good humor, and especially your overwhelming generosity in supporting Team for Kids. Together we raised $3,050 to help support free youth running programs across the nation. I will circle back around after the race to let you know how much our team raised in total during this event. I think you may be surprised.
Onward we head to the Big Apple!!!!!
xo Becky
PS: If you’ve missed any of my previous NYC Marathon training posts, you can click here to check them out:
After 17 weeks of slowly, steadily building up endurance, strength, and mental toughness, it’s now suddenly time to taper back down on mileage and intensity as we head into the last two weeks before finally reaching race day. It’s not uncommon to struggle with this stage of marathon training. It may bring on panicky feelings, wondering if you’ve trained hard enough, thinking it might be a good idea to squeeze in one more 20-miler, even though it would likely cause more damage than add more fitness. Or you may suddenly feel weird pains you’ve never felt before, or worry that your gear isn’t quite right even though you’ve been training with it just fine all along.
This is the time to block out the tapering crazies and lean into your plan.
Repeat after me: TRUST YOUR TRAINING.
Instead of doing more, focus on sharpening and fine-tuning everything, from your final training workouts to your nutrition, your mental strategies to your organization and logistics preparation. Most of all, focus on resting and pampering your body so it’s as primed as it can be when you finally toe the line on race day.
Here’s a look back at Week #18 training schedule (Oct 16-22):
Mon 10/16: Run 1.5 mile (test run for my grumpy foot)
Tues 10/17: Spin class 42 min medium EZ, core 30 min
Wed 10/18: Run 3.5 miles on the treadmill (testing foot again)
Thur 10/19: Run 7.5 miles
Fri 10/20: Core and mobility 30 min, walk
Sat 10/21: Run 11 miles
Sun 10/22: Rest & recovery day (walk with my hubby)
Monday: My foot/ankle/anterior tibialis tendon was strained and grumpy after last Saturday’s 18-mile run, so after resting on Sunday, I simply went on a micro scamper (1.5 miles) to see how it felt being taped up and wearing compression sleeves. Not too bad! I didn’t want to push it so I called it good for the day. See, I’m heeding my own advice and using restraint!
Tuesday: Back doing my favorite cross-training…zoom, zooming on the spin bike.
Wednesday: Testing out my ankle/foot tendon again by running 3.5 miles on the treadmill. Fortunately, it felt okay! Phew.
Thursday: As we count down the days and hours to race day, I’m trying to do more runs around the time I know I’ll be running through the streets of NY. I started at noon for this run when the temperature was 69 degrees with 68% humidity. Sounds like pretty great conditions, but it quickly felt much hotter than that, offering me ample opportunity to work on cooling techniques and staying laser focused on hydration and salt intake. With my tender anterior tibialis taped up again, I wanted to test out how it would feel to wear full compression tights and compression socks pushed down during the race on a warm day. Although it felt a little “sausauge-like,” the extra support was also nice as I knocked out 4 miles on the soft surface of SBCC’s track, then 3.7 miles on the waterfront bike path.
Friday: This was another day of listening to my body, knowing that sometimes the best workouts at this stage in training involve a “Less is More” approach. I simply did a short core/mobility/foot strengthening routine, then went for a nice walk with my hubby in preparation for Saturday’s last long run.
Saturday: It felt really good to knock out the last double-digit long run of this training cycle with my friend Becca. We started at 8:30, did a 1-mile warm-up run on the track before running 10 more out and back along the waterfront. It was a glorious Santa Barbara morning and we did not take it for granted. The best part is the big mental boost you get when 11 miles now feels easy (compared to when we started training all those weeks ago). Becca is training for a half marathon and conquered her longest run yet, adding an additional mile at the end to round it out with 12 miles. So proud of this gritty warrior!
As we head into the last two weeks of training, as you can imagine, I’m feeling all the feels: excited, grateful, relieved to have gotten through the longest and hardest training days, a bit nervous (even after all these years and races), and most of all thrilled that I get to take on this challenge again, and honored that I get to do it with my dear friend Janet, and also share it all with my family.
Onward we go…sharpening, trusting, and slightly losing our minds with excitement. It’s getting real!!!
xo Becky
PS: If you’ve missed any of my previous NYC Marathon training posts, you can click here to check them out:
I’ve been looking forward to this week for quite some time, knowing that once I knock it out, it will be smooth sailing to the starting line on Staten Island. I’d repeat, Just keep it together, stay positive, focused, and relentless with recovery, and you will get this done like a boss.
For the most part that has been the case, but I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that marathon training feels ridiculously insignificant right now compared to what is going on in the world. It’s hard not to carry a heavy weight of sadness after the terrorist attacks on Israel and the horrific collateral damage that continues to unfold. I don’t usually share these kinds of thoughts here on this blog because I know readers are much more interested in being wrapped in inspiration and celebrating all the goodness health and fitness gives us, but I’ve decided to share it today because I know I’m not alone.
So what do you do when the world has gone mad?
The only thing you can: just keep going.
You compartmentalize as much as you can. You get your work done. You use your training to sift though your anger, sadness, and frustration, then you spread love and compassion wherever and however you can. You do your small (or large) part in making the world a better place. You help others. You lift people up. You tell others that it’s okay not to be okay right now. Because what happened is not okay. You listen. And you listen some more. You look for the good in others, even if you don’t agree with everything they believe. You remind yourself that we share our common humanity. You acknowledge that we may have different skin tones, religions, and languages, but we are one in the same. You lean into the notion that only love will win, and you do your part to make that lofty goal a reality.
So while I celebrate getting through peak week like a boss (with a few bumps and niggles along the way), I also want to stop and take a breath, and acknowledge that while running is life to many of us, life has a way of putting things into perspective. Let us never forget our history nor our humanity.
I will repeat one of my quotes once again:
“The most important muscles we ever use in life are those we use to lift others up.”
Now circling back to our regularly scheduled programming … here’s a peek at Week #16 training schedule (Oct 9-15):
Mon 10/9: Run 5 miles with hills
Tues 10/10: Spin class 50 min medium EZ (18 miles), leg weights
Wed 10/11: Run 55 minutes on the ElliptiGo
Thur 10/12: Run 7.5 miles
Fri 10/13: Core and mobility 30 min
Sat 10/14: Run 18 miles
Sun 10/15: Rest & recovery day
Monday: Whoa, doggy, it took a lot of digging to get my creaky and melancholy body out the door, but somehow when you make yourself go through the motions, (ie-“Don’t think, just go”) and simply put one foot in front of the other, it somehow always comes together. After about 10 minutes, I was in a completely different frame of mind and happily cranking out the miles up and down hills.
Trying to talk myself into this workout before I finally got my body moving. I tested out my Hoka Mach Xs again, messing with the lacing configuration to see if I could get these shoes to settle into my grumpy feet. They felt good for about 4 miles, then I had to switch back to my Rincon 3s for the last mile. This shoe/foot situation is making me slightly insane, but soon enough I’ll just have to put my faith in one and hope for the best.
Tuesday and Wednesday: It was another spin class on Tuesday to flush out my legs, followed by a weight sesh to keep working on strength. Wednesday it took all day to knock out my workout. I finally opted for the elliptical in my garage so I could avoid further pounding on my foot/ankle/shin which currently has a grumpy tendon. It had been also a busy day that pulled me in a lot of directions so this option felt doable.
Just keep moving forward even when things feel dark.
Thursday: My morning run got pushed to late afternoon (gotta bend like a willow so you don’t break like an oak). It was just a 7.5-miler along the waterfront with a little jaunt out to the breakwater, but it felt more like a 10-miler. Some days are harder than others, but all add value. The only thing that matters is that I got it done, and my tender ankle held up mostly well. One step closer to NY.
Friday: Did a short core and mobility sesh in preparation for Saturday’s long run.
Saturday: It was my last long run before tapering for New York!! Woot!! I had originally planned to run 20 miles, then heeded the advice of multiple coaches/sources who said running longer than 3:15 often does more damage than good. In the end I ran 18 miles in 3:30. I coined this run “Beauty & the Beast” as all went well until about mile 13 when the tendon in my ankle went south again. Let’s just say the last 5 miles provided ample opportunity to work on my grit. I was especially grateful for the fun and beautiful 10 miles I ran with my friend Becca at the beginning. The solo miles at the end were there to remind me once again that I can do hard things. Got ‘er done. Soaked my legs in the ocean afterward to quickly knock down inflammation, then did the full-court press on recovery with compression, ice, foam rolling calves and quads, lots of protein, hydration, rest, a soak in the tub, more protein. And oh, there might have been some pizza too. :-).
So happy to have this one in the books, and a share some laughs with Becca as we work on our tall running posture. 🙂
As I sign off this week, gratitude floods me once again for the gift that running is in my life, especially during weeks like this. From the time and space in which to process life’s complexities to the friends who bring so much joy, to the never-ending reminder that we can do hard things. It’s all there in every breath, step, and mile, delivering a meditation of sorts, along with a profound sense of satisfaction, knowing we are able to complete what we set our minds to, even when the going gets tough.
Here’s to keeping on, celebrating all that is good in life, and lifting others up whenever we can. It’s a new week ahead. Let’s go get it!
xo Becky
PS: If you’ve missed any of my previous NYC Marathon training posts, you can click here to check them out:
Oh, hey. Hi! Coming at you from Hood River, Oregon, where I live, run, work, play. Of late, I’m also training for the upcoming New York City Marathon on Nov. 5, which has me exchanging lots of daily text messages with Becky. In one of them, she asked me to make a guest appearance on her blog, so here I am.
I’ve been a lifelong runner, having started on a youth team at age 10 in my running-crazed hometown of Boulder, Colorado. I ran competitively through high school, continued running for sanity through college (where I met Becky!), and then just kept on running for the pure joy of it all the way until, well, now. Which means I’ve been enjoying the perks and enduring the inevitable pains of running for 47 years.
Where it all began in Boulder, CO
Through all that time, I’ve run a lot of races and completed lots of distances — but never a marathon. In Becky’s early years as a marathon runner, she tried to get me to join her, but I always had an excuse. Too busy this, too caught up in that. Well, now that I could have a legitimate excuse (my aging body! My aching knees/hips/ankles!), I decided this is one of the things I really want to do. Better late than never, I guess.
So, in the spirit of imparting my take on this marathon journey, I offer a kernel of wisdom that lies at the heart of this whole thing and actually has nothing to do with running: Get yourself a friend who’s always up for an adventure. Last fall, after stalking all the NYC Marathon social media sites I could find post-race as I do every year, and watching video after video of all the hoopla, I had an epiphany. This is the one marathon I’ve always wanted to run, and I would run it next year. With Becky. She didn’t know that my epiphany involved her, but a quick text took care of that. She is, after all, the one friend I have who I can message saying, essentially, Hey, wanna do this crazy thing with me? and she responds, verbatim, Let’s do this!!! and then we actually do it. So here we are, with only a month to go before toeing the line at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island.
Even though we live in different states, training for NYC “together” has been so much more fun than if I had been doing this alone. Plus, as a first-time marathoner, I’ve gotten invaluable advice and recommendations from Becky on everything from foot-strengthening exercises to fueling on long runs to the pros and cons of various hydration belts. We don’t get to run together very often (we have managed it on a couple of occasions when I happened to be in the Santa Barbara area) but we connect daily, checking in on each other’s runs and comparing notes on cross-training activities, strength-building regimens, fueling strategies, running attire, challenges, triumphs, aches and pains, and life in general. I treasure all of it. A training pal who you can run with in real life is ideal, but this is the next best thing.
One of our rare training runs we enjoyed together while I was in the Santa Barbara area.View on a morning run along the Columbia River Gorge.A blistering hot mid-August run to the Mosier Twin Tunnels.
Probably the biggest takeaway for me on this, my first marathon journey, can be summed up by one of my favorite quotes from the poet Robert Burns: The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Since Becky and I signed up with Team for Kids early on, pledging to raise money for a great charity that brings free running programs to kids all over the country in exchange for guaranteed entry to the marathon, we had plenty of time to discuss our goals, come up with a target finish time and formulate our training plans. I landed on a 20-week plan that seemed to balance this being my first marathon with the fact that I’m a fairly seasoned runner starting with a relatively solid base. Last spring, as April turned to May, I was doing my usual “maintenance” running, getting out four or five days a week for a few easy miles. But I couldn’t wait to get started on my real marathon training.
Finally mid-June arrived and I launched my 20-week plan right on schedule. I followed it to a T for the first week, running exactly the prescribed miles on running days and cross-training when indicated, doing core and strength exercises, and dutifully taking a rest day. Basically crushing this marathon training thing! Then, on Day 7, I broke my ribs. (Long story short, I crashed on my wingfoil board.) In case you were wondering, running with broken ribs is impossible. I could barely move for a few days; a trip from the couch to the bathroom felt like climbing Everest. Then it was a couple of weeks of walking gingerly, looking like I was carrying a vessel filled with water on my head (and moving about as fast).
I regrouped, and four weeks after my crash started a 16-week marathon training plan. Needless to say, it has not gone entirely as planned. Setbacks have included a flare-up of plantar fasciitis from jump-starting my running after weeks of doing practically nothing on my feet; some unwanted but necessary days off for travel; a wonky knee following an unruly downhill leg on Oregon’s annual 200-mile Hood to Coast Relay, which I do every August with my team of 12; a few days laid flat by a bug my son brought home from school; and grumpy quads from ramping up my mileage too quickly, forcing me to reduce said mileage until they became more cooperative.
One of my favorite trail runs in the Hood River areaThis views never disappoints
Whenever I hit a bump in the road that makes me veer from my training plan, I freak out a little about whether I’ll be able to get the starting line — or, really, the finish line. Fortunately, Becky is always there with some words of wisdom to calm me down. After I fire off a text lamenting my latest issue along with a bunch of stress emojis, she sends back gems like, “Success simply means getting to the start, having fun, and crossing the finish line, no matter what pace.” And “…throw out all expectations of what you think you ‘should’ be doing and just enjoy the fact that you GET to run the NY-freaking-marathon …” When I was laid up with the virus my kid brought home, she walked me through a visualization of the course, which I’ve now incorporated into my routine. It came with this sage advice: “Our minds are what’s going to make this happen. Our bodies are just along for the glorious ride.”
And, training setbacks aside, a glorious ride it’s been. My weekly long runs have prompted me to expand my horizons beyond the few 3- to 5-mile routes close to my house that I dearly love, but have run so many times I could practically do with a blindfold on. I’ve made friends with some sheep in a pasture I run by on one of my new routes, and chat with a friendly Bernese mountain dog who always greets me on another. Running alongside pear and apple orchards that I normally whiz by in a car allows me to see — and smell! — the fruit up close.
Scenes from some of my exploratory road runs.
My training has spanned two seasons now, and I’ve had a front row seat to the change from summer to fall. Early in my training, the long Pacific Northwest days allowed me to indulge my love for sunset runs. I could set out at 8 p.m. and cruise along under red-orange skies that faded to purple as I finished my miles. Now, with the shorter days, I run earlier and have even developed a newfound affection for morning runs in the cool, crisp fall air. Running every day (or nearly) has a strange way of slowing down time. From one day to the next, I see leaves turn from green to yellow and red, then fall to the ground. I witness practically in real time the subtle change in light and shadows as the sun drifts south.
The Historic Columbia River Highway, a paved trail between Hood River and Mosier, one of my go-to running routes.After a beautiful but hot summer, signs of fall on a country road.
Ever since I started running as a 10-year-old, fall has always reminded me of cross country season. So it feels right that I’m here, in yet another autumn running season, striding toward New York and the longest run I’ve ever done. I feel immense gratitude that I’m still able to do this thing that brings me so much joy. I have to listen to my body more, compromise, forego a few miles here and there in favor of staying healthy and running again tomorrow. The best-laid plans, I’ve come to know, must sometimes be replaced with alternate plans. But that’s ok. Onward I go to that starting line on Staten Island — and, with a little luck and Becky by my side, to the finish line in Central Park.
I wonder what our next crazy adventure together will be?
“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:
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