Highs and Lows

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at casa Kate. Cue lots of pictures of me!

Two weeks ago, I left for a work trip in Sedona, AZ. I don’t know if I’ve ever officially said what I do on this  blog (I like to keep work and play separate), but I work for La Mer and Jo Malone (part of the Estee Lauder companies). This work trip was to celebrate our sales team’s hard work, and to present the fall collections for both brands.

I prepared myself with the fact that I would have little free time and little time for sleep. I tried to fit in a few workouts when I could, which started out with a hike the morning after we arrived.

Tiny next to the red rocks.

On Monday, I fit in a “Brick” (in triathlon lingo, a bike ride followed by a run… it’s very much encouraged to do these during training so you learn how to deal with jelly legs before the race). I have been told that Arizona is dry, but I really didn’t grasp how that might affect my breathing until I got there. I was WINDED at the end of my bike workout, and ran much slower than I usually do. I am blaming it on dry air because the rest of my co-workers claimed the same thing. So there.

I also got the chance to run outside one morning, which was a highlight of the trip.

I went nice and slow, took in the scenery and the MULE DEER.

You can't exactly see them, but they have these
adorably large ears. Hence, their first names.

Aside from these workouts, my trip consisted of running around between meetings and eating lots of Mexican food. I was ready to come back and get on a regular schedule.

One more pic! I just like this one.

After eating, imbibing, and networking for a week, I felt a bit guilty about my triathlon training schedule. So the dedicated athlete in me went to the Monday night swim as soon as I returned, and the training session ended with a 30 MINUTE CONTINUOUS SWIM. Ouch. That was hard. But I did it, minus what I think was a minor asthma attack towards the end of the swim. NBD.

I also did the first run in probably 7 months that I was actually proud of.

I did speedwork! It felt so good to actually be able to run fast, and test myself. I’ve been glancing at the weekly training schedules for TNT and hiding in shame from where I should be in terms of running. I know I shouldn’t beat myself up because I’ve been diligent about going to PT and icing/foam rolling, but I can’t help but think that when I finally go to a group run, I will be at the back of the pack.

On that note, I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed in GENERAL about tri training. I suppose I should have anticipated that, but I really didn’t. I thought all of my worries would come from fundraising, which has been surprisingly easy.

(Pretend I’m not being a jerk in the next sentence, because I’m really not trying to be.) I really enjoy training for marathons/half marathons. I really enjoy running and spending my Saturday mornings running for hours at a time. This is NOT normal and I realize that. I thought tri training would be similar, but it’s much, much harder.

The actually workouts themselves aren’t crazy difficult. It’s important to start training early for a tri, because the endurance takes awhile to build up. For example, we did a few 6x100 sprints on Monday night’s group swim. This is 12 laps with only 10 second rests between every 2 laps.  It was hard, but I DID IT. 8 weeks ago I couldn’t do two laps without feeling like I was going to drown. As long as you’re diligent and consistent, the endurance comes.

I have been trying to get 5-6 workouts in a week, but for some reason, I am overwhelmed by the idea that I won’t be ready for race day. “Trust the training,” I keep hearing. Yes, yes. I know. But I’m still worried. My training feels disjointed, and my focus changes daily. Even when I’ve finished an awesome workout, I have to start thinking about my next one, in a completely different sport.

I know I shouldn’t be complaining. I am learning new skills, hanging out with nice people, and building endurance for two sports I’ve never spent much time on. Every week is a new challenge! But every week is also tiring. And as with most training schedules, there will be highs and lows, and I think I was experiencing a bit of a low. The key to fighting a low? Do something different!

I found an AWESOME spin class last week at NYHRC. The instructor’s legs moved faster than I’ve ever seen legs move, she played upbeat, fun music, and it was freaking hard. I also found out that her regular class is at 7AM on Wednesdays in Union Square, which I went to this week. Getting up at 6AM for an awesome class is worth it to me. I was lacking enthusiasm for my weekday bike workout, and I’ve found an exciting way to do it. I can feel myself going into a training high already! I’m getting my mojo back.

I swam... and it wasn’t scary

I had a great, productive, fun weekend. The nice weather didn’t hurt either.

Friday night, I saw this guy riding the subway.

As my dad pointed out, no one could be bothered that a guy
with a panda head was riding the NYC subway. 

I got dinner and beers with Keith and the gang, but headed home early to chug water in preparation for an early Saturday morning. I went to the gym early Friday morning, so once 10:30PM rolled around, I was ready to drift off to sleep. I love how training excuses my toddler-like sleep habits.

At 7AM my alarm went off, and I got ready to go to the gym. There was a TNT running session in Central Park, followed by an event called “Connection 2 the Cause” on the Upper West Side. Since I haven’t been cleared by my PT to run just yet, I did the gazelle-like elliptical and the stairmaster at the gym instead.

On that note, I really like my new PT. Dr. Levine, who has a lot of patients who are marathoners and triathletes, came highly recommended on my insurance website. Beyond that, I found out that he has an office literally across the street from my office. I wanted to get a second opinion on my IT band, and he says that about 80% of his athlete-patients have the same injury. I am not alone in my frustration.

Please get rid of the knots in my leg.

I left the gym (where scary-skinny older women intimidated me with their six-pack abs), and was excited for the C2C event. The goal of the event is to inspire and remember the reason why we are training with TNT. A few people talked about their experience with LLS, and then they opened the floor up for anyone who wanted to share their story about why they’re training. I was blown away not only by everyone’s bravery to stand in front of a group of 200 strangers and speak, but by all of the experiences that my fellow teammates have been through. We cheered on the participants who are now cancer-free, and applauded those who are participating in a friend’s memory. I left with a lump in my throat, and feeling even more excited about training for the triathlon.

After a morning of TNT, I went home to tackle my closet. My shelves and bureau have been a hot mess the last few weeks.

I have a lot of socks.

I sorted through all my clothes, and anything I haven't worn in the last six months went in a donation pile. I ended up getting rid of two big bags of clothes (including mostly Forever 21 clothes I bought in college. Their clothes look so much better at time of purchase). I refolded everything into neat little piles back in my closet, that will likely stay that way for less than a week. 

After all my clothes sorting, I was inspired by my friend Meggie’s recent success at a thrift shop called Beacon’s Closet in Brooklyn. She said that they bought $320 worth of her clothes. While Meggie’s clothes have a lot more whimsy and artsy-ness to them, I figured I could bring the highlights of my garbage bags and give it a go (I took the DVF pants, but left the Hanes t-shirts at home).

While I waited for "buyers" to get to my bag o’ fun, I shopped around a bit. I looked around for some funky stuff that I might be able to wear to work… but I found absolutely nothing. It was a little disappointing, and I think I gave myself a headache from searching through all the racks of clothes. My shopping stamina just isn’t what it used to be.

As much as I would like to, I can't wear these to work.

I checked back at the sell station, and they went through my clothes in front of me. It was humbling to watch someone judge my clothes. While they passed on most of my items, they did buy two pieces from me; a green dress with pink buttons from Urban Outfitters, and a pair of DVF pants I got at a sample sale.

I wore the green dress to a sorority formal with Keith.
Goodbye dress. Go make new memories with hipsters.

I tried to tell myself that the reason Beacon's Closet only took two items was because they were really looking for spring items, and most of my clothes were wintry. But I guess I’m also okay with the fact my clothes aren’t thrift shop-worthy. I’ll leave that up to Macklemore.

Last night, we had our second TNT swim practice. I was really, really anxious before getting in the water. Last Monday’s practice went well, but I felt really tired afterwards and swallowed about a half gallon of water. Mostly I was nervous I would feel completely uncoordinated like I did last week.

But as soon as I jumped in the water and started swimming, I felt GREAT. I was shocked at how much easier it felt to swim compared to last week. 

We did a lot of the same drills we did last week, and I took my time with each to practice form as best I could. I felt really good about it, and while I still swallowed copious amounts of water, I can already feel myself improving.

You're up! What are your thoughts on thrift shopping? Was selling two items worth the $12.22 I got back?

Finally, the last 9+1 Race: Join the Voices 5M Race Recap

The day came. I am finally done with my NYRR 9+1 obligation.

Perhaps I should be more grateful, more excited about racing and running with my fellow New Yorkers. But I was dreading the race on Sunday, and I’m so happy I’m done with racing for awhile.

Aside from my psychological apathy, I have also been in pain since the marathon. This also happened to me last year – my right IT band was killing me for a few months. Now it’s my left IT band. I’m guessing it’s my body’s way of telling me to take a break from running.

I tried to go running on Thursday morning, and made it about ¾ of a mile before the outside of my knee began throbbing. I knew that Sunday’s race was going to be unpleasant, but I didn’t want to delay the inevitable any longer.

So I woke up nice and early, and arrived at Central Park just in time to drop off my stuff at baggage and make a quick porta-potty trip.

New Mizunos at a flattering angle!
Cyber Monday deal, nbd.

I forgot my Garmin watch at home, which I didn’t care about too much, because I had no intentions of going fast. There were only 4,000 or so total runners, and I was placed in the second fastest corral because of my fast yet possibly misleading time at a 3Mile race back in May. This meant I actually was able to hear the pre-race speeches and announcements for once.

The Join the Voices organization, for which this race was in honor of, supports finding a cure for brain cancer. So in addition to the normal announcements, I heard really touching stories about survivors and loved ones lost. One of my favorite speakers was a guy who introduced himself, and asked “How many of you are here for your last qualifying race for 9+1?” I felt like the shy girl in class (which I never was) and didn’t raise my hand or yell “Whoop whoop!” in agreement like my neighbors. He said that a year ago, he was in our place, and received his last volunteer credit during the Jingle Bell Jog last December. Then, two months later, he had a seizure and doctors found a tumor in his brain.

Luckily, the doctors were able to take it out, and he is now undergoing treatment.

So naturally, I felt like a total jerk for being completely unaware of why I was running this race. 

Almost all of the races I ran this year supported a charitable organization, and for all but one of them, I didn’t find out what their cause was until race day (the exception being that 3 Mile race I ran to support the American Heart Association. They have really persuasive ways of getting you to reach out to your family and friends to donate. I received a free, XXXL t-shirt for raising $100 for their race. Be jealous).

I tried, for once, to think about the charity during the race rather than my own selfish goals. It may sound a little cheesy, but it actually helped me get through the race. My IT band started to hurt at mile 1.5, so I spent 3.5 miles in varying degrees of pain. Thinking of the people I heard about during the pre-race speeches helped a lot.

So, I finished the race. I walked through all of the water stops, kept it at a comfortable pace, and kindly asked my IT band to get me through the rolling hills of Central Park. I finished the race in 45:20, which at a 9:04 pace, is closer to a training run for me. But I am DONE with my stupid 9+1. Take that New York Road Races! And all my money while you’re at it.

I iced my IT band when I got home, but it really hurt anyway (DISCLAIMER: Mom, please stop reading. I don’t want you to worry). It hurt to walk by the end of the day, and it hurt to walk yesterday too. I went to my favorite spin class last night, and it felt loads better after the class. I think it just needed a little cross-training and some Rihanna.

I also went to my physical therapist today, and he is a miracle worker. Dr. Rob Destefano worked out the kinks in my tight hips, and by the end of our quick session, I was able to do a lunge without an ounce of pain. Like I said, miracle worker.

I’ll leave you with a creative endeavor I had this week. After 9 NYRR races, and one marathon, I’ve accumulated a lot of race bibs, with nowhere to put them. Awhile ago, I saw this cute sign on Etsy from Running on the Wall:

Cute!

And since I’m never without crafty paints or a random piece of wood to paint on, I decided to re-create my Etsy favorite.

Thoughts? Am I officially a running nerd, or was I already one?

Dialing it Back

I was riding the subway home the other night, after a delightful dinner with friends, feeling elated and full. I decided to browse this month’s Runner’s World, which usually brings me so much joy, yet so much agony once I’ve read it from cover-to-cover knowing I have to wait another 4 weeks for a new issue.

An article that interviewed some of this summer’s Olympic athletes piqued my interest, especially the part on “injury prevention.” Shalane Flanagan, one of the women who competed in the Olympic Marathon, said how every runner will feel an ache here and there – but once it goes past 3-4 days, it’s considered an injury.

I got really hot, and cursed the non-pregnant young people who were taking up all the precious seats. After a minor hot flash/freakout, I came to terms with the fact that I am “injured.”

I thought I kicked my knee injury after my PT Session two weeks ago, but after running 4 miles Monday night and 6 miles Tuesday morning, it was definitely in a bit of pain. I noticed stiffness in my knee Tuesday at work, and tried icing and stretching, and didn’t think about it too much.

But after reading that article, I realized, I really do need to do something about it. My training plan has been somewhat conservative until now, and starting next week, it really begins to ramp up. I know that my knee is not going to fare well if I increase mileage, and I know that because I’ve been base training for about two months now, I will be fine if I take off or decrease the mileage on a few runs.

To give me some hope, I thought back to last year’s marathon training plan, when I followed the bare-bones beginner program. It got me through a full marathon, with only one minor injury along the way.

Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer - you have
a special place in my heart.

I opened up my copy, and I was shocked at how low the mileage was for the first half of the plan. A wave of RELIEF washed over me. I’ve been doing much higher mileages for weeks now, and if I need to lower mileage for a week or two to get back on track, it won’t wreck all the training I’ve already done.

So I got up on yesterday morning, listened to my body, and left my gym bag at home. I felt a bit antsy, but I knew it was what I needed. On the upside, I made oatmeal raisin cookies.

Not my cookies. I didn't take a picture of them.
I was too busy eating.

I went to the gym this morning, and though the treadmill was screaming my name, I gave my joints a break and did my cardio on just about every other machine (including that weird gazelle machine that simulates running. It was the next best thing and I still hated it).

I can already feel my body thanking me - I woke up with a ton of energy this morning, and basically leapfrogged out of bed. So while it’s hard for me to dial back my training plan, at the end of the day, I want to finish the Philly Marathon. I would rather run it and miss my goal time, than sit on the sidelines on race day.

Tips: How to Treat Yourself during Marathon Training

Today’s Workout: 5 miles, outside

Health Check: My muscles feel pretty good – but I need to make sure I continue to ice my knee over the next several days

I’ll get to my topic of the day in a moment. But first things first.

Yesterday I went to my amazing physical therapist, Dr. Ngo. After running 5 miles on the treadmill Tuesday morning, my knee was still a bit sore, and I was nervous. I had no clue whether to skip runs, how often to ice, all that jazz. Dr. Ngo always knows what to say.

We found out rather quickly that my left quad is crazy tight. She said because my hip flexors are tight, my quads are tight, and as a result, my quad muscle is pulling on my knee. So she did her thing while I winced in pain, and told me I could still do most of my runs this week. I still had a 5 miler, a 3 miler, and a 9 miler left. She said to skip the 3 miler, but make sure to take several walk breaks during the other two runs. I left feeling relieved.

I did 5 miles this morning, and it was pretty effortless. I warmed up a bit with two slow miles, and then sped up for the last three. After each mile, I walked for a minute, and I ran mostly around McCarren Park and the track for softer surfaces.

I am happy to skip my 3 miler tomorrow since I’ll be home (SUMMER FRIDAYS I LOVE YOU), so I fully plan on sleeping in and doing some light stretching. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my knee will be back to normal in a few days.

Now on to the topic of the day. Treat yo’ self.

I know what you’re thinking – treat myself? I’m running constantly, I’m always tired, and I’m doing all of this for one big day weeks or even months from now.

Training for a marathon is not for the faint of heart. And while I love it (you would be crazy to train for one if you didn’t love this ish), there are times when I don’t feel like devoting any more time to running. A warm bed or a beer with a friend sounds much more appealing than 2 hours on the road.

That being said, there are ways to getting around the mental and physical exhaustion of training. Here are some practical and personal tips that help me stay continually excited about lacing up my sneakers.

Tip #1: Sleep

Runners are separated into early birds and night owls. Last year, when I trained for the Cape Cod Marathon, I probably did 90% of my runs at night. I simply could not get into the habit of waking up before work to run. This year, I’m determined to add more morning runs to my schedule. I enjoy getting up early and “getting it out of the way,” and have found myself getting up before work 2-3 mornings a week for both running and cross-training.

The result? I sleep like a baby.

 When I do a morning run, I hit the pillow that night and fall asleep in an instant. I haven’t historically struggled with sleeping, but if I’m really stressed, I have a harder time sleeping all the way through the night. When I do morning runs, all of that worry and stress goes away the moment I tuck in.

Since sleep is so important during training, figure out what works for you, and follow it.

This tip also includes guilt-free napping. When I have to get up early on a Saturday morning for my long run, I tell myself that I can treat myself to a nap later, and I don’t feel guilty whatsoever for laying on my couch and watching a terrible movie as I fall asleep. You earned it, so take full advantage.

Tip #2 – Track your progress

When I first started running, I would write down on a calendar all the runs I completed. I was so proud of myself as I saw the numbers creep up each month to new heights. This still gives me an odd sense of accomplishment, so I write down my runs in a few places.

Running Calendar

Since January, I’ve kept an excel sheet of all the runs I’ve completed. So far this month, I’ve run 73.4 miles. So far this year, I’ve run 505.6 miles. How awesome is that?!? If that doesn’t get you excited, this might not be your sport.

Training Plan

I created my own training plan by combining Hal Higdon’s Intermediate Training Plan and a plan I found in Runner’s World. It has the perks of a tough training program (hello, speedwork! We are friends), but isn’t so crazy that I won’t be able to do it (not ready to commit to three, 20 mile runs. Ain’t happening). I had perhaps a little too much fun creating this plan, confirmed by the fact that it is color-coded.

NBD.

Running Journal

I like to write. Did you know that? Now you know.

Last year, I followed a beginner’s training plan from a book, which had a section to write down comments about each run. It could include anything from the course I ran, to how hard it felt, or something interesting that happened along the way.

It was sometimes tedious, but I was really happy I did it. On days when I had a really tough run, I would look back at previous entries, and read when past Kate was really excited: “Completed my first 14 miler! Longest distance I have ever run! Go me.” And then my bad run wouldn’t seem so bad.

I’m keeping up the tradition this year, since it was a great mental technique for me.

A gift from Kelly! <3 my elephants.

Tip #3 – Add fun rituals to the boring parts of your routine

For most runners, the most boring part of running is stretching afterwards. The last thing I feel like doing after a long run is devoting time to cooling down and stretching. Bring on the hot shower and post-run egg sandwich already! But I find I get injured if I don’t, so I make myself do it.

After an evening run I will turn on my guilty pleasure “What Not to Wear” that I have on my DVR, and do my stretching in front of the TV. In the morning, I’ll turn on the Today Show, and secretly curse Savannah for taking over Ann Curry’s spot, but giggle at Al Roker for his ridiculous catch phrases.

It actually makes me want to stretch longer, and my muscles thank me for it. It seems simple, and most of you probably already do this, but it works for me.

Love you two - but please stop with the intro skits.
They are weird and not funny.

Tip #4 – Be easy

Aside from following your mileage plan, training for a marathon is not the time to be strict with yourself. It is really important to listen to your body.

Do you want that extra piece of chocolate cake? Go for it, you’ve earned it. Do you feel like skipping after-work drinks so you can get a good night’s rest? If your body wants it, do it. Would you rather stay in on a Sunday afternoon to watch Jurassic Park instead of enjoying your weekend outside? Microwave some popcorn and give your attention to T-Rex.

As much as I want to go out and be social (cue why every Sunday on my training plan has the word “rest” next to it), I realize that my body and mind will probably need more rest than usual over the next few months.

On that note, even if you’re not training for a marathon, Treat Yo’ Self. Go do something that makes you happy, and don’t feel guilty at all for doing it.