Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to say our goodbyes.* After a (8 month) long and happy life, during which he received better quality (and more expensive) medical care than I do, my boon companion and Black Moor aquatic friend, Four, is no longer with us.
Let us rejoice in our memories of Four:
Those who came before him
His role in my first Boston Marathon
Four as a zoological reflection of myself
Naturally, I'm in a period of grieving right now, but I do hope one day to have another underwater friend with whom I can share my life (and coffee table). Four, Jr., naturally. But for now, let us drink to my aquatic amie (as the French would say), and be thankful for the times we had together. And also maybe a little bit thankful that we didn't have to arrange for fish-sitting while I'm on vacation next month. Too soon?
I miss you, buddy, and this morning's run was for you. Swim in peace.
*I'm actually quoting Rent there, but I'm pretty sure that's how funeral masses begin anyway.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Sunday Wrap Up: Brooks Pure Project Shoes
Subtitle: I Needed New Shoes To Log All The Miles I Must Run Given How Many Beers I Drank This Week.
Hey there, Ultramarathoner Claire here. I snagged myself a new pair of kicks while I was in CT over the holiday weekend (I'm thankful that, even though I am a full-grown adult, my Dad still insists on paying for my running shoes when I'm home). So I headed to Greenwich Running Company (which has a good shoe selection and a treadmill to try out shoes, but is staffed entirely by eager/awkward high school cross country runners) to snap up a replacement pair.
Though I've been a full fledged Kinvara convert since I made the switch last Fall, I was interested in the Brook Pure Project, as I am a sucker for marketing:
Oooh, colors!
I ended up hopping on the in-store 'mill in the women's PureConnect, the first time I've worn women's running shoes in probably a decade. I don't know how I ended up in men's shoes to begin with (though wearing a size 11 probably had something to do with it), but men's shoes have always been comfortable for me. Plus, in the men's models, I'm never given the option of hot pink sneakers (though my current skull-and-crossbone laces could probably make even hot pink Kinvaras look badass).
Anyway, the PureConnect felt good, so I decided to bite the bullet and give them a shot. At $90, they're the same price as the Kinvaras. Which is free for me, since my dad did indeed pay. In any event, I've had a few runs in them since Friday, and here are my thoughts:
Pros:
Cons:
I'll be interested to see how these hold up over a couple hundred miles. My only complaint about the Kinvaras is that they wear down so quickly - 250 miles and I can start to feel them breaking down in my shins and ankles, and by 300, I'm running directly to the sneaker store to replace them. The over-eager high school runners assured me I could wear the PureConnect for both training and racing, and that these weren't just a racing flat, so we'll see how they're doing in another 8 weeks or so. My next major race isn't until Boston in April, so I have plenty of time now to play around a little with my shoes.
And now, the wrap up, which indicates I should be doing more running and less taking pictures of my European Dinosaur shoes...
Number of Miles Run This Week: 26. I'll take it.
Number of Beers Consumed This Week: 18. And 10 were on Friday. Which, incidentally, is the same day I got my new shoes. Whoops.
Types of Beers Consumed This Week: Sam Adams Winter Ale, Harpoon Winter Warmer (aka Nutmeg-flavored instant hangover), Long Trail Harvest Ale, Founders Centennial IPA, Wolaver's IPA, and a lot of Bud Light.
Next up on the brew review front: My uncle and his girlfriend brought me a growler from Pearl Street Grill & Brewery in Buffalo. I believe it is their Lake Effect Pale Ale. I shall provide a comprehensive report just as soon as I've fully counteracted all the beers I drank this week with mileage. So, sometime in 2012? Ugh.
(It should go without saying that neither Greenwich Running Company, nor Brooks, nor Saucony paid me to say any of the above. Though the sneakers were free - thanks again, Dad!)
Hey there, Ultramarathoner Claire here. I snagged myself a new pair of kicks while I was in CT over the holiday weekend (I'm thankful that, even though I am a full-grown adult, my Dad still insists on paying for my running shoes when I'm home). So I headed to Greenwich Running Company (which has a good shoe selection and a treadmill to try out shoes, but is staffed entirely by eager/awkward high school cross country runners) to snap up a replacement pair.
Though I've been a full fledged Kinvara convert since I made the switch last Fall, I was interested in the Brook Pure Project, as I am a sucker for marketing:
I ended up hopping on the in-store 'mill in the women's PureConnect, the first time I've worn women's running shoes in probably a decade. I don't know how I ended up in men's shoes to begin with (though wearing a size 11 probably had something to do with it), but men's shoes have always been comfortable for me. Plus, in the men's models, I'm never given the option of hot pink sneakers (though my current skull-and-crossbone laces could probably make even hot pink Kinvaras look badass).
Anyway, the PureConnect felt good, so I decided to bite the bullet and give them a shot. At $90, they're the same price as the Kinvaras. Which is free for me, since my dad did indeed pay. In any event, I've had a few runs in them since Friday, and here are my thoughts:
Pros:
- Lighter than the Kinvaras (6.5 oz for the women's PureConnect, versus 7.7 oz on the men's Kinvaras)
- Snug fit: the PureConnect have an internal elastic band around the midfoot, which makes them feel as snug as a sock. I actually tried on another Pure Project pair, the PureFlow. They felt like my feet were wearing down vests. Way too much shoe for me. The close fit of the PureConnect was much more my speed.
- Open mesh: same as the Kinvaras, the upper is built of mesh, which means my toes get a breeze when I'm on the run
Cons:
- They look weird. I don't know how much of this is the fact that they're women's shoes and therefore more narrow than what I'm used to, but looking down at these makes me think I'm a European tourist wearing trendy walking sneakers by Gucci or something. There is also what is described on the Brooks' website as a "split toe groove," which doesn't feel any different than any other minimal sneaker to me, but looks like some kind of amphibious dinosaur. I'd be willing to bet that, being marketed as a minimalist training, the PureConnect split toe groove is meant to lure in Fivefinger runners.
- The nubby tread has a noticeable feel through the sole. The Kinvaras have a flat bottom, whereas the PureConnect have these weird lumpy nodes that make me feel like I'm wearing those horrifying "toning" sneakers. I can feel these nodes when I'm running. It's not a bad feeling, necessarily; it's just weird in comparison to the Kinvaras.
- Snug fit: While I thought I liked this when I tried them on the treadmill for 2 minutes, I've realized that, during actual runs, I need to be sure not to tie my shoes too tight; if I'm not careful, the fit can go from "snug" to "gangrene-inducing" pretty quickly.
I'll be interested to see how these hold up over a couple hundred miles. My only complaint about the Kinvaras is that they wear down so quickly - 250 miles and I can start to feel them breaking down in my shins and ankles, and by 300, I'm running directly to the sneaker store to replace them. The over-eager high school runners assured me I could wear the PureConnect for both training and racing, and that these weren't just a racing flat, so we'll see how they're doing in another 8 weeks or so. My next major race isn't until Boston in April, so I have plenty of time now to play around a little with my shoes.
And now, the wrap up, which indicates I should be doing more running and less taking pictures of my European Dinosaur shoes...
Number of Miles Run This Week: 26. I'll take it.
Number of Beers Consumed This Week: 18. And 10 were on Friday. Which, incidentally, is the same day I got my new shoes. Whoops.
Types of Beers Consumed This Week: Sam Adams Winter Ale, Harpoon Winter Warmer (aka Nutmeg-flavored instant hangover), Long Trail Harvest Ale, Founders Centennial IPA, Wolaver's IPA, and a lot of Bud Light.
Next up on the brew review front: My uncle and his girlfriend brought me a growler from Pearl Street Grill & Brewery in Buffalo. I believe it is their Lake Effect Pale Ale. I shall provide a comprehensive report just as soon as I've fully counteracted all the beers I drank this week with mileage. So, sometime in 2012? Ugh.
(It should go without saying that neither Greenwich Running Company, nor Brooks, nor Saucony paid me to say any of the above. Though the sneakers were free - thanks again, Dad!)
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The Food Taper
I've gone about this all wrong. I hate myself for that, too, because I should know better. 27 years of experience, and I blew it. Now the big show is tomorrow and I haven't been tapering. It's time to face the music: this Thanksgiving isn't going to be a PR.
It's too bad, really, because the Knickerbocker 60k should have left me primed in terms of depleted calories. But, like every nervous athlete, I didn't trust the training. I thought I needed to eat more, right up until the last day. "Let me just squeeze in one more bite of cookie dough." "Just 10 minutes at the buffet." Just like you can't cram for an exam (or a marathon), you can't cram for Thanksgiving.
Except for the actually cramming of food you do into your gullet on Thursday.
It's too bad, really, because the Knickerbocker 60k should have left me primed in terms of depleted calories. But, like every nervous athlete, I didn't trust the training. I thought I needed to eat more, right up until the last day. "Let me just squeeze in one more bite of cookie dough." "Just 10 minutes at the buffet." Just like you can't cram for an exam (or a marathon), you can't cram for Thanksgiving.
Except for the actually cramming of food you do into your gullet on Thursday.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Sunday Wrap Up: Knickerbocker 60k Race Report
Today, I napped for 2 hours, ate dinner at 5:00, and used a heating pad on my lower back. There is really no difference between being an ultramarathoner and an elderly person.
Number of Miles Run This Week: 46. That was only 3 runs. Remember that time I ran 60k?
Number of Beers Consumed This Week: 12. That was only in 3 days. Remember that time I stayed out until 1am after running a 60k?
Types of Beers Consumed This Week: I'll be honest; yesterday was about quantity over quality, in miles and in beers. I drank Heineken and Bud Light. I think there were some Sierra Nevadas earlier in the week. Back before I was an ultramarathoner. Have I mentioned I ran a 60k yesterday?
And speaking of which, I've had a day to collect my thoughts on the ultramarathon experience, and now I will share them with you, because they are obviously profound and important and obviously you are dying to know about them, and I am a generous ultramarathoner. To the race report!
Pre-Race: I registered for this bad boy the morning of the race. I got to the NYRR headquarters right at 6:45, and registration was fast and painless. We all had blue bibs, usually reserved door the first corral in NYRR races, but maybe they wanted us all the feel like bad asses. Shirts were crappy cotton long sleevers, which I usually use as throwaways before marathons, but will probably hang onto as proof of my ultramarathon-ness. Registration cost $35 for non-members - gotta be one of the cheapest officially organized ultras around.
One of the reasons I got to the NYRR HQ so early was to use their bathroom, but access was blocked and we were told to use the portapotties in the Park. In general, the people in the HQ were up to their usual jerky NYRR tricks: yelling at people to not sit on the steps, etc. We get it, but maybe ask politely instead of shouting at a bunch of people who woke up very early for the privilege of giving you our money and running 37.2 miles.
I headed to the Park around 7:15 and there was no line for the four portapotties at the start, so I was in and out quickly. Unfortunately for those who arrived soon after, that wasn't the case. Four portapotties for 400 registered runners doesn't come close to being enough, and when the start whistle was blown, there were still runners waiting in line.
Bag check was the usual NYRR affair. Some people who were smarter and more prepared than me brought drop bags with snacks and gear to hang on the fence along the bridal path, to have quick, mid-race access. Eissa kindly offered to hold some of my gear, but between my SpiBelt and Nathan handheld, I had enough fuel on me and didn't need to stash any. We had a chance to see Robin at the start, who was manning the lap counting tent and wished us well in our little run.
On To The Running Part: Eissa, who ran the Knickerbocker for the first time in 2009, kindly allowed me to tag along with her for the start. We decided to go out around 9:00/mile for as long as that felt good. We had a good time catching up - I don't think we'd run together since the Spring - and the miles ticked by. After the initial out and back 1.2 mile jaunt to 102nd Street, we picked up her friend Ryan for the first (of 9) 4-mile loop.
Running, chatting, running, chatting. We hooked around 72nd Street and up the West Side, which was way hillier than I was expecting. I know that sounds dumb, given how many times I've run in Central Park, but I guess because this course cut off the Harlem Hill, my mindset was all "yay, the hard part is taken out of this run!" False. Going through Loop 1 scared me a little; if I thought these hills were hard with only 3 miles on my legs, how would I be feeling when I had been running for 5 hours?
We plodded on and came through the timing area at 90th Street right around 35:30 - a touch faster than the 9:00/mile plan. As we came through the chute, everyone cheered for us by name, thanks to Robin, and we picked up Cate and headed into Loop 2.
Running, chatting, running, chatting. On the West Side, a woman out for her Saturday run told us, "Looking good! Halfway there!" Eissa looked down at her Garmin. "Actually, we have 30 miles to go." Burn.
Going into Loop 3, we dropped off Eissa's friend Ryan and picked up my friend Brad, who had been eating pickles at Katz' deli at 2:00am. Excellent prep for a nice little run. We kept plugging along, at some point being lapped by the leaders, which felt not awesome. More running, picked up Sharon and Josh somewhere in there. Still right around 9:00/miles through that loop.
I decided at the start of Loop 4 that I'd aim to run one more at the 9:00/mile pace and then ease up. Eissa was going strong and she and Josh pulled ahead, so I kept plugging away.
Loop 4, Loop 5, Loop 6... Really it was all the same, but with more/different friends, and one break to pee. Not boring, because of the good company, but nothing to write home about. It was actually just like a long run - no pressure, lots of talking, no real regard for splits. Cate stuck around for 3 loops, Sharon did one, Liza and Gil joined for one, Maura joined for one, Josh came back after running with Eissa to lend his support, and pickles fueled Brad for more than 3 loops. Thanks to amazing friends, and the dedicated spectators who dotted the Park, I found myself with 2 loops to go and hadn't stopped to walk. I was feeling pretty good, actually, thanks to slowing down to a more comfortable pace. And I was officially an ultra marathoner, at 29 miles. But ugh, 2 more loops. I came through the chute and passed the winners... Because they were done and standing still with their awards. D'oh.
Robin joined me for loop 8 and soon we spotted Susan, who joined our ranks. I was moving pretty slowly by then, around 10:30/miles, so I was grateful that those two speed demons we're willing to run with me at a snail's pace. As we came to the 72nd St transverse, we scooped up Brennan and Kelly, whose enthusiasm gave me an extra boost of energy.
Running, chatting, running. Last loop! Susan and Robin broke off to cheer at the finish for Eissa, who was about a half a loop ahead of me. Kelly, Brennan, and I continued on. The West Side hills were bad, but frankly not that much worse than they were from the start. We passed the hotdog cart around 85th Street and for the 9th and final time, I asked if anyone wanted a hotdog.
Up to 102nd, the last set of rolling hills, and the finish was in sight. I mustered some energy and kicked as best as I could through the chute, terrified I'd get there and be told I'd miscounted and had one more loop, which I definitely could not have done. But thankfully, I crossed the line in 5:56 and was done. Automatic PR. And if I haven't made it clear, I'm now an ultramarathoner.
The End: I was kind of shocked that there was no food at the finish. While there had been a table manned by volunteers handing out bananas and bagels during the run (I had half a banana going into Loop 7, but otherwise stuck to 3 Gus), there was nothing at the finish beyond water, Gatorade, and our finisher awards - plaques, rather than medals, which are cool to have, but also not wearable. When I go out drinking after a long race, I want everyone I encounter to know, damnit. Never fear; I just displayed my plaque on the bar. And on the table in the diner...
In conclusion: I am glad I did this race. I was obviously undertrained, but at no point did I think I wouldn't finish. I'm proud I didn't walk at all; though my legs were definitely fatigued, and got that way earlier than I had expected (that's undertraining for you), I wasn't in pain at all, and was able to go out for beers after a shower (and a slice of pizza) last night, sans nap. My lower back is pretty painful tonight, not in an "I need a massage way," but in a "something maybe got pulled or pushed or smushed or crunched in there somewhere in the course of almost 6 hours of running" kind of way, but between the heating ad and some Advil, I expect to make a full recovery.
No stomach troubles at all, which might have been my biggest fear. No weird nutritional needs either; I've definitely raced marathons where I've been hungry during the run, but that never happened yesterday, maybe because I was, on average, almost 2 minutes/mile slower than my marathon pace. But I ate less during the 60k than I do during the marathon. I was sort of secretly hoping I'd have weird food cravings, but I guess Brad had that on lock with his late night pickle rampage.
Having my friends there was really crucial, and I don't think I would have finished, certainly not without walking, if they hadn't been there to distract me with their hilarious stories (and emails, courtesy of Abbe Lew), and also to help me refill my handheld with Gatorade and water and generally say supportive and kind things. Seriously, my crew was truly incredible, and I can't overstate how lucky I am to have all of them in my life, running and otherwise. I wonder if I can convince them to crew for me every race, and also maybe just come to my apartment every morning and say nice things to me, like "you look skinny and your hair looks great today!"
Would I do this again? Well here's the thing: I like the marathon. There is racing strategy involved. Whereas with ultras, 1) having to develop and implement a strategy over such a long time seems like an insurmountable mental challenge, and 2) the spirit generally seems to be more along the lines of "how far can I go? How much intensity can I handle?" than "what's my game plan to execute a fast race?" I don't have the brain power to actually race an ultra, and to run them just for the sake of running far isn't appealing to me as a challenge. I mean, I'm proof that if you go slow enough, you can pretty much run forever. I know an ultra in Central Park isn't your typical ultra, and maybe I'd consider a trail 50k. But I'd consider a trail 10k too. I'm not ruling them out forever, but I don't need to run more than 26.2, and certainly don't plan to be a competitive ultramarathoner from now on or anything.
But that doesn't mean you don't have to refer to me as an ultramarathoner forever more. You do.
Number of Miles Run This Week: 46. That was only 3 runs. Remember that time I ran 60k?
Number of Beers Consumed This Week: 12. That was only in 3 days. Remember that time I stayed out until 1am after running a 60k?
Types of Beers Consumed This Week: I'll be honest; yesterday was about quantity over quality, in miles and in beers. I drank Heineken and Bud Light. I think there were some Sierra Nevadas earlier in the week. Back before I was an ultramarathoner. Have I mentioned I ran a 60k yesterday?
And speaking of which, I've had a day to collect my thoughts on the ultramarathon experience, and now I will share them with you, because they are obviously profound and important and obviously you are dying to know about them, and I am a generous ultramarathoner. To the race report!
Pre-Race: I registered for this bad boy the morning of the race. I got to the NYRR headquarters right at 6:45, and registration was fast and painless. We all had blue bibs, usually reserved door the first corral in NYRR races, but maybe they wanted us all the feel like bad asses. Shirts were crappy cotton long sleevers, which I usually use as throwaways before marathons, but will probably hang onto as proof of my ultramarathon-ness. Registration cost $35 for non-members - gotta be one of the cheapest officially organized ultras around.
One of the reasons I got to the NYRR HQ so early was to use their bathroom, but access was blocked and we were told to use the portapotties in the Park. In general, the people in the HQ were up to their usual jerky NYRR tricks: yelling at people to not sit on the steps, etc. We get it, but maybe ask politely instead of shouting at a bunch of people who woke up very early for the privilege of giving you our money and running 37.2 miles.
I headed to the Park around 7:15 and there was no line for the four portapotties at the start, so I was in and out quickly. Unfortunately for those who arrived soon after, that wasn't the case. Four portapotties for 400 registered runners doesn't come close to being enough, and when the start whistle was blown, there were still runners waiting in line.
Bag check was the usual NYRR affair. Some people who were smarter and more prepared than me brought drop bags with snacks and gear to hang on the fence along the bridal path, to have quick, mid-race access. Eissa kindly offered to hold some of my gear, but between my SpiBelt and Nathan handheld, I had enough fuel on me and didn't need to stash any. We had a chance to see Robin at the start, who was manning the lap counting tent and wished us well in our little run.
On To The Running Part: Eissa, who ran the Knickerbocker for the first time in 2009, kindly allowed me to tag along with her for the start. We decided to go out around 9:00/mile for as long as that felt good. We had a good time catching up - I don't think we'd run together since the Spring - and the miles ticked by. After the initial out and back 1.2 mile jaunt to 102nd Street, we picked up her friend Ryan for the first (of 9) 4-mile loop.
Running, chatting, running, chatting. We hooked around 72nd Street and up the West Side, which was way hillier than I was expecting. I know that sounds dumb, given how many times I've run in Central Park, but I guess because this course cut off the Harlem Hill, my mindset was all "yay, the hard part is taken out of this run!" False. Going through Loop 1 scared me a little; if I thought these hills were hard with only 3 miles on my legs, how would I be feeling when I had been running for 5 hours?
We plodded on and came through the timing area at 90th Street right around 35:30 - a touch faster than the 9:00/mile plan. As we came through the chute, everyone cheered for us by name, thanks to Robin, and we picked up Cate and headed into Loop 2.
Running, chatting, running, chatting. On the West Side, a woman out for her Saturday run told us, "Looking good! Halfway there!" Eissa looked down at her Garmin. "Actually, we have 30 miles to go." Burn.
Going into Loop 3, we dropped off Eissa's friend Ryan and picked up my friend Brad, who had been eating pickles at Katz' deli at 2:00am. Excellent prep for a nice little run. We kept plugging along, at some point being lapped by the leaders, which felt not awesome. More running, picked up Sharon and Josh somewhere in there. Still right around 9:00/miles through that loop.
I decided at the start of Loop 4 that I'd aim to run one more at the 9:00/mile pace and then ease up. Eissa was going strong and she and Josh pulled ahead, so I kept plugging away.
Loop 4, Loop 5, Loop 6... Really it was all the same, but with more/different friends, and one break to pee. Not boring, because of the good company, but nothing to write home about. It was actually just like a long run - no pressure, lots of talking, no real regard for splits. Cate stuck around for 3 loops, Sharon did one, Liza and Gil joined for one, Maura joined for one, Josh came back after running with Eissa to lend his support, and pickles fueled Brad for more than 3 loops. Thanks to amazing friends, and the dedicated spectators who dotted the Park, I found myself with 2 loops to go and hadn't stopped to walk. I was feeling pretty good, actually, thanks to slowing down to a more comfortable pace. And I was officially an ultra marathoner, at 29 miles. But ugh, 2 more loops. I came through the chute and passed the winners... Because they were done and standing still with their awards. D'oh.
Robin joined me for loop 8 and soon we spotted Susan, who joined our ranks. I was moving pretty slowly by then, around 10:30/miles, so I was grateful that those two speed demons we're willing to run with me at a snail's pace. As we came to the 72nd St transverse, we scooped up Brennan and Kelly, whose enthusiasm gave me an extra boost of energy.
Running, chatting, running. Last loop! Susan and Robin broke off to cheer at the finish for Eissa, who was about a half a loop ahead of me. Kelly, Brennan, and I continued on. The West Side hills were bad, but frankly not that much worse than they were from the start. We passed the hotdog cart around 85th Street and for the 9th and final time, I asked if anyone wanted a hotdog.
Up to 102nd, the last set of rolling hills, and the finish was in sight. I mustered some energy and kicked as best as I could through the chute, terrified I'd get there and be told I'd miscounted and had one more loop, which I definitely could not have done. But thankfully, I crossed the line in 5:56 and was done. Automatic PR. And if I haven't made it clear, I'm now an ultramarathoner.
The End: I was kind of shocked that there was no food at the finish. While there had been a table manned by volunteers handing out bananas and bagels during the run (I had half a banana going into Loop 7, but otherwise stuck to 3 Gus), there was nothing at the finish beyond water, Gatorade, and our finisher awards - plaques, rather than medals, which are cool to have, but also not wearable. When I go out drinking after a long race, I want everyone I encounter to know, damnit. Never fear; I just displayed my plaque on the bar. And on the table in the diner...
In conclusion: I am glad I did this race. I was obviously undertrained, but at no point did I think I wouldn't finish. I'm proud I didn't walk at all; though my legs were definitely fatigued, and got that way earlier than I had expected (that's undertraining for you), I wasn't in pain at all, and was able to go out for beers after a shower (and a slice of pizza) last night, sans nap. My lower back is pretty painful tonight, not in an "I need a massage way," but in a "something maybe got pulled or pushed or smushed or crunched in there somewhere in the course of almost 6 hours of running" kind of way, but between the heating ad and some Advil, I expect to make a full recovery.
No stomach troubles at all, which might have been my biggest fear. No weird nutritional needs either; I've definitely raced marathons where I've been hungry during the run, but that never happened yesterday, maybe because I was, on average, almost 2 minutes/mile slower than my marathon pace. But I ate less during the 60k than I do during the marathon. I was sort of secretly hoping I'd have weird food cravings, but I guess Brad had that on lock with his late night pickle rampage.
Having my friends there was really crucial, and I don't think I would have finished, certainly not without walking, if they hadn't been there to distract me with their hilarious stories (and emails, courtesy of Abbe Lew), and also to help me refill my handheld with Gatorade and water and generally say supportive and kind things. Seriously, my crew was truly incredible, and I can't overstate how lucky I am to have all of them in my life, running and otherwise. I wonder if I can convince them to crew for me every race, and also maybe just come to my apartment every morning and say nice things to me, like "you look skinny and your hair looks great today!"
Would I do this again? Well here's the thing: I like the marathon. There is racing strategy involved. Whereas with ultras, 1) having to develop and implement a strategy over such a long time seems like an insurmountable mental challenge, and 2) the spirit generally seems to be more along the lines of "how far can I go? How much intensity can I handle?" than "what's my game plan to execute a fast race?" I don't have the brain power to actually race an ultra, and to run them just for the sake of running far isn't appealing to me as a challenge. I mean, I'm proof that if you go slow enough, you can pretty much run forever. I know an ultra in Central Park isn't your typical ultra, and maybe I'd consider a trail 50k. But I'd consider a trail 10k too. I'm not ruling them out forever, but I don't need to run more than 26.2, and certainly don't plan to be a competitive ultramarathoner from now on or anything.
But that doesn't mean you don't have to refer to me as an ultramarathoner forever more. You do.
Greetings from an Ultramarathoner
60 kilometers in 5:56:06.
Truth be told, I'm more proud of the following statistics, also from yesterday:
8 beers, 1 shot, 1 cheeseburger, and 1 slice of pizza in 7 hours.
Friday, November 18, 2011
So This Is Real, I Guess
6 packages of Gu, 3 pairs of socks, 2 pills of Immodium, and 0 beers on display tonight. 37.2 miles in the morning. Here's hoping I'll be an ultramarathoner next time you hear from me.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
On Abstinence
What I said on Monday, about not drinking this week as we approach my first ultra distance race?
I meant that starts today...
P.S. Regarding Saturday's relaxed, easy, just-happens-to-be-extra-long (that's what he said) long run: this thing starts at 8:00am. I think (but have no idea, really) that I'll finish between 6 and 6 and a half hours later. As such, if you happen to be in Central Park, basically at any point on Saturday, and want to join me for a 4 mile loop, I welcome you to do so. Marathoner and Ironwoman Eissa will be running as well, but she's a real-life bad ass, so when I inevitably fall behind her gazelle-like strides, it would be a delight to have someone jump in and let me curse at them and force-feed me Gatorade and pretzels (sounds like fun already!). I told IMan I'd already secured about 18 miles of companionship. He said "that's only half the race!" Actually, it's less than half, Mr. Applied Math at Yale. But to his point, there are plenty more miles to be ticked off, and post-run beers are on me. Come on out!
I meant that starts today...
P.S. Regarding Saturday's relaxed, easy, just-happens-to-be-extra-long (that's what he said) long run: this thing starts at 8:00am. I think (but have no idea, really) that I'll finish between 6 and 6 and a half hours later. As such, if you happen to be in Central Park, basically at any point on Saturday, and want to join me for a 4 mile loop, I welcome you to do so. Marathoner and Ironwoman Eissa will be running as well, but she's a real-life bad ass, so when I inevitably fall behind her gazelle-like strides, it would be a delight to have someone jump in and let me curse at them and force-feed me Gatorade and pretzels (sounds like fun already!). I told IMan I'd already secured about 18 miles of companionship. He said "that's only half the race!" Actually, it's less than half, Mr. Applied Math at Yale. But to his point, there are plenty more miles to be ticked off, and post-run beers are on me. Come on out!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday Wrap: This Time Without Vomit
My smallest friend Caroline came into town this weekend to visit me in my palatial apartment in Brooklyn, which is almost as nice as her home in Boston, minus the matching furniture that is not from Ikea and the handsome and handy fiancé (IMan was indisposed at Tough Mudder this weekend, where I fear he may have gone from "handsome," to "frozen and disfigured" over the course of 12 miles of obstacles, but that's for another time). We met when we were little baby college freshman (she was even smaller then), and have remained friends ever since, despite the fact that her career as an ecologist means sometimes she lives in weird places. And by weird I mean "not New York." But anyway, Caroline came to visit and despite no longer being 18, we ate and drank like children. The only difference this time was that we also went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, given her professional interests and expertise. And the fact that I wanted her to expense our whole weekend.
Since I'm marginally classier than I was as a poor college student in Maine, instead of drinking Natty Light on my bed, I took Caroline to the Standard Biergarten. All of that background was just set up so that I could point out that I did not throw up there. This time.
Number of Miles Run Last Week: 27. So do I taper now? Does anyone have any idea how to run a 60k? Anyone at all? Jump in at any time...
Number of Beers Consumed Last Week: Um, also 60k? Is this a trick?
Types of Beers Consumed Last Week: I drank the Bitburger at the Standard (Caroline had the hefeweisse), and followed it up with the 21st Amendment Brewing Company Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale, which would have been even better had it not been 55 degrees outside. Also, I'm pretty sure 21st Amendment is a bar I actually went to in San Francisco when I was there for the marathon. Other beers last week included Long Trail Harvest Brown Ale, a totally unseasonable Shock Top, and a bunch of train beers. AKA Bud Lights.
And with that, in the grand tradition of race weeks, I suppose I'm off the sauce until the weekend. Oh, did I mention that, beyond the potential 60k on Saturday, I have a 4 miler with coworkers on Sunday? I can't decide if I'd rather do the 60k and have an excuse to be slow on Sunday, or if I'd get psycho jealous and competitive seeing my colleagues speed off through Central Park, me shouting behind them, "You know I ran 37 miles yesterday. You're not better than me!" I'm well-adjusted...
Are you running the Knickerbocker on Saturday? Have you ever? Please weigh in with your thoughts in the comments (unless you're my parents, who are advocating strongly against it. My mom even tried "but your knees!" Like I were new to this whole "running" thing.) (P.S. Happy birthday to the aforementioned Mom)
Since I'm marginally classier than I was as a poor college student in Maine, instead of drinking Natty Light on my bed, I took Caroline to the Standard Biergarten. All of that background was just set up so that I could point out that I did not throw up there. This time.
Number of Miles Run Last Week: 27. So do I taper now? Does anyone have any idea how to run a 60k? Anyone at all? Jump in at any time...
Number of Beers Consumed Last Week: Um, also 60k? Is this a trick?
Types of Beers Consumed Last Week: I drank the Bitburger at the Standard (Caroline had the hefeweisse), and followed it up with the 21st Amendment Brewing Company Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale, which would have been even better had it not been 55 degrees outside. Also, I'm pretty sure 21st Amendment is a bar I actually went to in San Francisco when I was there for the marathon. Other beers last week included Long Trail Harvest Brown Ale, a totally unseasonable Shock Top, and a bunch of train beers. AKA Bud Lights.
And with that, in the grand tradition of race weeks, I suppose I'm off the sauce until the weekend. Oh, did I mention that, beyond the potential 60k on Saturday, I have a 4 miler with coworkers on Sunday? I can't decide if I'd rather do the 60k and have an excuse to be slow on Sunday, or if I'd get psycho jealous and competitive seeing my colleagues speed off through Central Park, me shouting behind them, "You know I ran 37 miles yesterday. You're not better than me!" I'm well-adjusted...
Are you running the Knickerbocker on Saturday? Have you ever? Please weigh in with your thoughts in the comments (unless you're my parents, who are advocating strongly against it. My mom even tried "but your knees!" Like I were new to this whole "running" thing.) (P.S. Happy birthday to the aforementioned Mom)
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Ten Day Forecast
So you know how, before a big race, you check the weather habitually as soon as the ten-day forecast is available, and hope that, perhaps by some miracle, the act of checking the weather will somehow impact it such a way that you’ll be treated to a 55 degree overcast day when you wake up on race morning, even though you know it doesn’t matter, because in the end, you’ll be running even if there’s a hurricane outside on race day? (See: Smuttynose Marathon).
I’m having the opposite experience right now.
I’ve said all along, I might consider running the Knickerbocker 60k, but only if the weather is nice on Saturday, November 19th. There’s no pressure or need to register ahead of time for this race, unlike any other big race for which I’d be checking the forecast (and for which I’d have trained for months), so I can indeed decide to run (or not run) based entirely on the weather. Naturally, this means I've been trying to log some decent long runs just in case, but mostly I've been secretly hoping for rain.
Today, Saturday, November 19th entered the 10 day forecast. And it looks great. Which is not good.
I’m having the opposite experience right now.
I’ve said all along, I might consider running the Knickerbocker 60k, but only if the weather is nice on Saturday, November 19th. There’s no pressure or need to register ahead of time for this race, unlike any other big race for which I’d be checking the forecast (and for which I’d have trained for months), so I can indeed decide to run (or not run) based entirely on the weather. Naturally, this means I've been trying to log some decent long runs just in case, but mostly I've been secretly hoping for rain.
Today, Saturday, November 19th entered the 10 day forecast. And it looks great. Which is not good.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Worth It
First of all, despite the fact that I had no trouble waking up at 5:15 this morning, I didn’t particularly feel like running long before work today. But I told all you I was doing it, and far be it from me to let down a bunch of anonymous weirdos from the internet. So I did run long. 16.5 miles long in 2 hours, 12 minutes. Fueled by 2 burritos and a metric ton (would that be a “tonne?”) of Nutella last night and a cup of coffee, a chocolate mint Gu, and Daylight Savings Time sunshine this morning.
On a related note, just like I have opposite body dysmorphic disorder and think I’m skinnier and hotter than I am, I also have an unrealistic perception of my relative speed. Which means I emailed IMan after my long run (average pace: 8:02) and told him “I’m probably going to win Boston next year. Just FYI.”
On a related note, just like I have opposite body dysmorphic disorder and think I’m skinnier and hotter than I am, I also have an unrealistic perception of my relative speed. Which means I emailed IMan after my long run (average pace: 8:02) and told him “I’m probably going to win Boston next year. Just FYI.”
Monday, November 7, 2011
Dilemmas of the Distance Runner
Despite the fact that my racing season is "over," I keep threatening to do this 60k I've mentioned once or twice or 37 times since the thought crossed my mind about a month ago. And until I decide for sure, which will be the morning of the race, it has also occurred to me that I better do some actual distance running if I don't want my first ultra to be my first DNF (though I know you were all highly impressed by that 4 and a half mile run I logged on Saturday. Did I mention it was hilly, and I was sore?). Which is why, despite the fact that my "A" race has already come and gone this Fall, I'm running long tomorrow. 17 miles long, to be exact. On a Tuesday. Before work.
That's more psycho than usual.
Which got me thinking: what the hell is wrong with us, as runners?
And also: how will I enjoy the traditional post-long run beer if I'm at my desk?
And most important: if I run the Knickerbocker, what will happen to my "I Don't Do Ultramarathons; I Do An Ultramarathoner" shirt?
These are serious problems, people.
That's more psycho than usual.
Which got me thinking: what the hell is wrong with us, as runners?
And also: how will I enjoy the traditional post-long run beer if I'm at my desk?
And most important: if I run the Knickerbocker, what will happen to my "I Don't Do Ultramarathons; I Do An Ultramarathoner" shirt?
These are serious problems, people.
Monday Wrap Up: I See Your Marathon, and Raise You A Mountain
Maybe this is a bad time, since a lot of you probably ran the New York City Marathon yesterday, but I am REALLY sore from my 4 mile trail “run” on Saturday.
They don’t call it Bear Mountain because it’s flat. And you’ll note that I put “run” in quotes and didn’t share with you the pace chart. Unless a 26 minute second mile is considered “running,” I don’t think I’m going to be the next Scott Jurek .
Number of Miles Run Last Week: 36. Even though I said I would aim to run between 20 and 30 miles a week in the months leading up to the start of spring-season training, I also said I might maybe run a 37 mile race in 2 weeks, so last week I bumped up the distance a bit. To a mile less over the course of a week than what I’m considering running over the course of a morning…
Number of Beers Consumed Last Week: 10.
Types of Beers Consumed Last Week: After we got back from Bear Mountain and got ready for the night, I asked IMan if he would bring me a beer to drink while I was blowdrying my hair (because I am efficient!). He had a fridge full of Miller Lights, but brought me a Paulaner. “I’ve never heard of this, but I brought it for you because you’re a beer snob.” I had some Miller Lights after that. And possibly played Flip Cup, which I don’t think I’ve done since college. Just like riding a bike.
I'm also proud to report that I'm keeping the cross training streak alive, having not only managed a quick yoga class on Saturday morning, but a glass of red wine last night as well.
To all my NYCM friends: congrats on a great day yesterday! I look forward to toasting your success. Perhaps with a beer run on December 3rd? Let me know!
They don’t call it Bear Mountain because it’s flat. And you’ll note that I put “run” in quotes and didn’t share with you the pace chart. Unless a 26 minute second mile is considered “running,” I don’t think I’m going to be the next Scott Jurek .
Number of Miles Run Last Week: 36. Even though I said I would aim to run between 20 and 30 miles a week in the months leading up to the start of spring-season training, I also said I might maybe run a 37 mile race in 2 weeks, so last week I bumped up the distance a bit. To a mile less over the course of a week than what I’m considering running over the course of a morning…
Number of Beers Consumed Last Week: 10.
Types of Beers Consumed Last Week: After we got back from Bear Mountain and got ready for the night, I asked IMan if he would bring me a beer to drink while I was blowdrying my hair (because I am efficient!). He had a fridge full of Miller Lights, but brought me a Paulaner. “I’ve never heard of this, but I brought it for you because you’re a beer snob.” I had some Miller Lights after that. And possibly played Flip Cup, which I don’t think I’ve done since college. Just like riding a bike.
I'm also proud to report that I'm keeping the cross training streak alive, having not only managed a quick yoga class on Saturday morning, but a glass of red wine last night as well.
To all my NYCM friends: congrats on a great day yesterday! I look forward to toasting your success. Perhaps with a beer run on December 3rd? Let me know!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Just Checking In
So my Internet is still wonky, but here's a quick update from the teeny keys of my iPad. Maybe the next time I have real Internet access I should look into investing in a Bluetooth keyboard for this bad boy, since all I'm using my actual laptop for these days is playing Snood. Col-LEGE! Anyway, the updates:
1. Beer Run info is posted here! Go there. Read it. Attend. And do email me if you're planning on coming, since I'll be sending out email updates as the date approaches.
2. The NYC Marathon is tomorrow! I could spew some feel-good "I'm totally selfless and excited for you guysssss" stuff, but mostly I'm just jealous because I think of marathoning as "my thing," and tomorrow, 45,000 people will be copying me. But fine, I guess I'll let you guys have your day, too. NYCM is my favorite marathon experience, though, so don't talk shit about it when you're done or anything. Here is what I had to say about it after I ran last year.
3. While I may be jealous, I'll still be hopping around this weekend supporting all my marathoning friends, because y'all do it for me when I'm running, so I'd feel guilty watching Say Yes To The Dress in my apartment while you're out dragging your butt through the five boroughs. Also I'm pretty sure at this point I've seen every episode. Look for me first at The DailyMile brunch today (I'll be one drinking), then tomorrow on 4th and Union on the right side in Brooklyn (mile 7.25), and 110th and Fifth on the right side in Manhattan (mile 22.5). Good luck to all my buddies running tomorrow!
1. Beer Run info is posted here! Go there. Read it. Attend. And do email me if you're planning on coming, since I'll be sending out email updates as the date approaches.
2. The NYC Marathon is tomorrow! I could spew some feel-good "I'm totally selfless and excited for you guysssss" stuff, but mostly I'm just jealous because I think of marathoning as "my thing," and tomorrow, 45,000 people will be copying me. But fine, I guess I'll let you guys have your day, too. NYCM is my favorite marathon experience, though, so don't talk shit about it when you're done or anything. Here is what I had to say about it after I ran last year.
3. While I may be jealous, I'll still be hopping around this weekend supporting all my marathoning friends, because y'all do it for me when I'm running, so I'd feel guilty watching Say Yes To The Dress in my apartment while you're out dragging your butt through the five boroughs. Also I'm pretty sure at this point I've seen every episode. Look for me first at The DailyMile brunch today (I'll be one drinking), then tomorrow on 4th and Union on the right side in Brooklyn (mile 7.25), and 110th and Fifth on the right side in Manhattan (mile 22.5). Good luck to all my buddies running tomorrow!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Pardon the Interruption
...But the internet, for which we pay handsomely and promptly each month, is not working in my apartment. Which means it's kind of a pain in the ass to blog, having only the teeny tiny keys of the iPad, through which I must express my many deep and profound thoughts. I could certainly blog from my office (after business hours, of course) but the thing about writing a blog about beer drinking is that it's hard to do any relevant "research" at the office and remain gainfully employed. So despite the fact that it's now two days post-Halloween, and I have a fridge full of themed beers to drink and write about, I can't do that for you tonight. The teeny tiny keys are even harder to operate when drunk.
I don't mean to be rubbing it in, but you're actually missing out on a lot of awesome stuff because of this technological snafu. For instance, today I ran home from work, which was really quite awesome and enjoyable, and at 12 miles, the longest run I've done since Smuttynose a month ago. And it was only 25 miles fewer than the Knickerbocker 60k! So, yeah...
Other awesome stuff includes the map of the next "We'll Run For Beer," which I completed earlier this week. I'll get information up on the Beer Runs page as soon as I... have the internet. God, this is seriously crippling. Anyway, trust that it'll be awesome, mark your calendars for Saturday, 12/3 at noon, and shoot me an email at willrunforbeerblog@gmail.com to let me know you're in.
Have fun in the 21st century. I'm going to make soap or whatever people did before the internet. I would look it up, actually, but as I may have mentioned, I don't have the internet.
I don't mean to be rubbing it in, but you're actually missing out on a lot of awesome stuff because of this technological snafu. For instance, today I ran home from work, which was really quite awesome and enjoyable, and at 12 miles, the longest run I've done since Smuttynose a month ago. And it was only 25 miles fewer than the Knickerbocker 60k! So, yeah...
Other awesome stuff includes the map of the next "We'll Run For Beer," which I completed earlier this week. I'll get information up on the Beer Runs page as soon as I... have the internet. God, this is seriously crippling. Anyway, trust that it'll be awesome, mark your calendars for Saturday, 12/3 at noon, and shoot me an email at willrunforbeerblog@gmail.com to let me know you're in.
Have fun in the 21st century. I'm going to make soap or whatever people did before the internet. I would look it up, actually, but as I may have mentioned, I don't have the internet.
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