Finished

Huge recap coming later this week but, I finished and felt amazing and continue to feel so amazing and proud.

Waiting in line for the porta potty

Feeling good, albeit a little overwhelmed. Ah.

Zoikes

Marathon time.

Bibbed

-It’s absolutely insane that I’m running a marathon on Sunday
-The weather in San Diego is absolutely gorgeous. Sunny, breezy, not humid AT ALL. Cannot wait to run in this weather.
-My hips HURT.
-The shwag bag at my half marathon was better (dude there was pasta and toothpaste in that one. This one has cold sore medication and only a sample size.
-My friend Colleen’s family has adopted me. I’m going to dinner with them tonight. Loving them.
-I’ve had a fair amount of caffeine today. Laalalalalalala.
-It’s all starting to sink in. Wonder if I’ll sleep tonight.

Ahhhhhh

WOO!!

Wanna track my marathon progress on Sunday? Go here: http://bit.ly/m1hZP Search for “Laura D” (my full name won’t work; damned apostrophe!)

T – 69 hours

Time is winding down on the summer season of  TNT, which means I’m running a marathon this weekend.  INSANE.

Tomorrow morning at 8:30am EDT I takeoff for San Diego.  I haven’t started packing yet (those who know me are not surprised).  But I have started making a list (lists make me happy).

The taper period has been interesting, as my body has decided to ache and hurt in new/interesting ways.  After my last long run of the season, I was feeling great an energized.  But the very next day during my recovery run, I felt some serious pain in my right hip. The pain was still there last night during my short 30 minute session with the team.  I don’t really know what’s up with the pain, as I’ve been running pain free ever since I licked the knee pain I was having.   It’s really frustrating and disheartening, knowing that I might be running in pain on Sunday.  But one thing is for sure: I’M RUNNING.

In better, more fun news, last week, my amazing mentor Sarah presented me with the TNT NYC summer season spirit shirt.  This decorated beauty gets passed around to different runners who are inspiring for different reasons.  I have no idea why Sarah chose me (;-D) , but it was fun to hear some compliments on my enthusiasm and commitment to training.  She also gave my new engagement a shout-out!

I gave the spirit shirt the bad-ass-ness it needed: a tattoo!!

I’ve installed the mobile Wordpress app on my phone, so I’ll try to update the blog this weekend while in San Diego.  I’m sure to be tweeting up a storm about my experiences, so you can follow me live over there.  I promise to write an epic recap post of the marathon weekend and of course take tons of pictures (adding “camera + charger” to my packing checklist).  AHHH.

If you have any sort of pull with a higher power, put in a good word for me.  Marathon, here I come!!!!

TEAM in Training

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been enjoying one of the biggest benefits of Team in Training: the team.  I know this seems like a no-brainer, but I had been dragging my only-child-self out for Saturday long runs alone.  I live so close to the park!  The group runs are so early! I’m full of great excuses, but the truth is, I could not have made it through these last couple three hour runs without my team.

I’m not the most talkative person while running, but I very much enjoy the comradery and conversations (even if I’m only huffing out a “yeah” or a “totally” here and there).  When I’m feeling like I can’t make it through a tough moment, I have a group of people depending on each other (and me!) around me for encouragement to go on.  While I probably could have made it through the runs on my own, it was so much better having a team to support me.

As my training time winds down (20 days to my marathon!!!!!!), I just wanted to make a point of acknowledging how awesome this journey has been thanks to my teammates.

A Three Hour Run, A Three Hour Run…

Stretching, while reading some important stuff on my phone

My runs are getting unbelievable now.  Yesterday, I ran for three hours straight.  THREE HOURS!!  That’s like….longer than I do ANYTHING consecutively.  I ran with the team (something that I’ve been horribly remiss in doing on Saturdays, opting instead to just jog off to Central Park from my apartment).  I’m so glad I ran with the team.  We ran from Central Park, out to the westside highway, down around the perimeter of Manhattan, back up along the east side, and then into the park.  Running with some folks who knew the course put my mind at ease, since I have never run that course before.  They knew where there were bathrooms and water fountains.  Now that I feel comfortable with that area of the city, I can finally try out my all time favorite MapMyRun public course: Just the Tip.

I felt mostly good throughout the run, though the last half hour was pretty brutal.  There were some hills on First Ave. that absolutely killed me.  So did all the stopping and starting once we were back on city blocks and waiting for stop lights.  At that point in the run, once I stopped, I felt like I absolutely could not start again.  But of course I did.  Then we started running smarter, slowing down halfway down a block, so that we could time our arrival at the corner with a walk sign.  When we finally entered Central Park, I seriously considering hitching a ride home with one of the many pedi-cabs lined up. One of my teammates sensed I was having a tough time.  She ran back to join me and talked me through some breathing.  I immediately felt more relaxed and finished my run.

With less than a month to go before the big race, we only have one other mammoth run left (another three hour-er next weekend) and then we begin THE TAPER.  WOOO. I mostly feel good.  I’ve been doing a lot of strength work and making sure to get in my all important recovery runs.  And as always, I’m taking a nice (??), cool ice bath after my long runs!

Chillin' (literally) in the ice bath, readin' Runner's World

Drinks! Beer Pong!

Come support a great cause while having a great time!

Where: The Mean Fiddler (47th btw 7th and 8th)
When: Wednesday May 12th, 5:30pm – 10pm
Why: I’m running 26.2 miles to help cure cancer.  You can buy a few beers and be a part of it too!
Who: You and any friend, loved-one, co-worker, or acquaintance who likes fun

10% of your drink purchases and tips will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Come celebrate hump day (and Florence Nightingale’s birthday!) and know that your good time will help cure cancer!!  Drinks, merriment, and beer pong!

Beer pong tournament has a $10 buy-in*, winning team gets 1/2 of the pot (*Cash please! Does not include beer).  If you know you wanna play, please send me your team ahead of time so I can add you to the bracket (walk-ins welcome!!).

Hope to see you there!