New Yorkers and Their Marathon
New Yorkers are so damn cute. And I mean New York, New Yorkers. The first one I talked to about marathoning pretended to know what I was talking about. Then a few weeks later asked if I had registered for “the marathon.” I told him I had not yet registered for a marathon. ”What about the lottery?” he asked. I told him I was not planning on running a race that had a lottery. He looked worried, and told me there definitely was a lottery. ”What marathon are you talking about?” I asked. ”The marathon,” he said, “the New York City Marathon.”
He was from Long Island. Yesterday I was chatting with a boy from Brooklyn about marathons. He asked me how long the one I did last year (Rochester) was. I told him 26 miles, and he said, “Oh! Same as the New York City Marathon!” Yes, yes… same as the New York City Marathon.
Filed under: marathon training | 0 Comments
Tags: marathon, new york
RBoC - Totally Random Edition
I have all these random things I feel like mentioning, but none are worth their own entry. So here, what I have seen termed “Random Bullets of Crap” (RBoC):
- On almost every run I think about how awesome it is that I don’t have to stop at stop signs — what a perk! Gosh, people should mention this to would-be runners more often.
- One of my favorite bloggers has deleted her blog
She was a pre-med triathlete, runner, and amateur chef who wrote about mostly about running and all the cool things she cooked and ate … RIP. - I love seeing what people search for when they end up here. So far my favorites are “training for 20K rave” and “5HTP +death.” 20K raves are the best, bro.
- I called to make a reservation at a hotel for my marathon in OCTOBER, and the biggest hotel in town is already booked that weekend! So now I have a hotel reservation (some other place) even though I’m not registered for the race yet… hmmm…
- I wanted to do the Nike+ 10K race, after seeing all the hype and not knowing what it was. You have to buy an Nike+ thing? Screw that. Nike+ is kind of creeping me out now. Maybe I shouldn’t be creeped. I guess it isn’t any creepier than the internet generally (my jury’s still out on whether the internet unifies or alienates). Even if it isn’t creepy, it’s clearly a big, idealized, aesthetized marketing ploy.
Filed under: RBOC | 1 Comment
Tags: nike+, RBOC, running
On the Track vs. IRL
Today coach Halli-o Higdon told me to do a 9 mile run at marathon pace. My goal marathon pace is between 8:15 and 8:30 per mile, though I have a sense that may be… hm, optimistic. Last year I ran an average 9:14 pace…. wow, so I want to run a whole minute/mile faster (I just realized this?).
Anyway, I do my runs on a variety of routes and only have 3 or 4 stretches that I know are 1 mile long and that I use to check my pace. It’s usually around 8:20. Today I decided to do all 9 miles on the track, resetting my stopwatch every mile to see if I can actually maintain my desired pace. I’m not sure why I did this since I know I made 8:21 on average at the 20K last month, but it seemed like something I needed to do at this point in my training.
I warmed up 0.5 mile, stretched, and got ready for a “quality” workout. During my pep-talk, I told myself I’d be satisfied with anything between 8:10 and 8:30, but with average effort I made 8:06, 8:06, 8:06, 8:00, 8:08, 8:06 for the first 6, then pushed it a bit for the last 2 miles with 7:49 and 7:52. (It felt like my exertion was not more than usual during this workout, but that my concentration was drastically improved.) I cooled down with another 0.5 mile, stretching, and an easy bike-ride home.
I know a huge part of my apparent success during this workout is due to the fact that the track is flat, cushy, and free of distractions/obstructions such as cars, dogs, potholes, and roadkill. I know that I will not maintain 8 minute miles this October. But it has me thinking…. maybe I’ve gotten into a rut with the number 8…. maybe next year I should try getting to know 7 a little better… (or maybe let’s not get ahead of ourselves!).
Filed under: marathon training, track | 3 Comments
Tags: marathon, marathon training, running
17-miler, Take 2
Wow, I really don’t have anything to say other than “THANK GOD” this week’s long run was better than last’s. Not that it could have been much worse… but it was better than expected and I am really happy. It’s funny, sometimes when I have a really great run I feel a bit undeserving…. even though that’s obvious nonsense (or is it??).
The key differences between today’s 17 and last Sunday’s 17 (I accidentally did this week’s workouts last week, too… last week was supposed to be 16) were as follows:
- Last week I ran from 6:10 to 9 am, soon after waking up and scarfing a Pria bar. Soon after ingesting, I realized this was a mistake, as Prias are fairly high in protein and fiber and (relatively) low in carbs. Not at all ideal for a pre-run meal. Today I ate more wisely: Life for breakfast, almonds and dried cherries to nibble on, some kinda Kashi bar and a plum for lunch, and plenty of water.
- Last week’s run was first thing in the morning (a bit of a routine now, which I greatly enjoy). Even though I like running in the morning, I wonder if I was a little sleepy or just unprepared. Today I ran after a full day of work (6:45-9:20 pm — the run, not the work). It might seem to be less ideal than running in the morning, but in fact my job is so boring it makes me feel like a caged tiger, and a good run is the perfect outlet for that feeling.
- Last week I wore my Nathan pack with the single bottle in it. I loved this thing at first but now I’m not happy with it: the bottle keeps falling out when it’s full, even though I know I have it in right (there’s a trick to getting it in right), it bounces, and it chaffes. I had to pour out half if it at one point to make it stop falling out. THIS week, I planted bottles 1/4 filled with slightly concentrated Gatorade along the course before going out. This process took a surprising amount of time, about an hour, but was well worth it! It was great to have my body and hands free and still have water. It’s also good to not be totally dependant on the bottle: I remember last year’s marathon being very thirsty at one point around mile 20ish and wanting to ask a spectator if they knew when the next water stop was. It’s probably good to get used to not having everything you want when you want it. Plus my brother and I got a little bonding time after when we drove around collecting them, pretending to be on a top-secret mission (I guess you had to be there…).
- Probably most significant: it was far less humid today than last Sunday. I didn’t know weather could effect me so much, but I guess it does.
I felt fast and happy and was able to power up hills and stay strong until the end when it hurts to stop. My body felt like it’d been beaten up when I got home.
Filed under: long run, marathon training | 3 Comments
Tags: marathon, marathon training, running
5-HTP, One Week Follow-up
As promised, some thoughts on my first experiences with the “natural supplement” 5-HTP. You can read my first post on it here, though I had just started it and didn’t have a lot to say, so I wouldn’t bother.
I have been taking it for a week and a day. I began taking 50 mg in the morning and 50 at night to see how my body would react. Even at that low dosage I was dealing with the common side effect of diarrhea, starting the first day. Nothing terrible, just unusual (or “abnormal” haha) and fairly predictable within a couple hours of dosage. After 3 days at this dosage I started taking three a day, morning, midafternoon, and before bed. No new side-effects or change in side effects.
I began taking 5-HTP in hopes that it would quell some of my totally justified anxiety and allow me to feel more peaceful and less agitated. I also was really hoping it would help with my insomnia, which has been really bad lately.
First, the insomnia issue: while I did not have any totally sleepless nights this week, I did have a much more difficult time getting to sleep than usual (usual meaning on nights where I sleep normally). I would lie awake for an hour or two before finally passing out. It was not like my usual insomnia though, which has me panicking like crazy at that point, making it even harder to fall asleep. I did not panic, I just laid there thinking, relaxing, and finally sleeping. But I was annoyed that I wasn’t getting as many hours of sleep as I was trying to allow myself (getting only 5 or 6 when I was trying to get 7 or 8). This is unusual for me and I finally thought to attribute it to the 5-HTP. I have quit taking it at night and have fallen asleep normally the past couple days. (This is unfortunate because it seems to give rather vivid and exciting dreams.)
During the day, it does help manage some of my other symptoms. I have felt better able to concentrate, more relaxed and even a little friendlier/more out-going. I have recently been taking 100 in the morning and 50 mg before going home for dinner. It seems to have a fairly short half-life and be fast acting, so you can take it for specific occasions (it seems to me), such as before family functions or a party at a distant acquaintances or other stressful situations.
I also bring an extra cup of coffee to class with me in the morning, however, since it makes me a little drowsy.
While I am disappointed that it didn’t work for sleeping, I am hoping that I will have fewer sleepless nights as a result of managing day-time anxieties. It is probably anxiety that causes my insomnia, but after a while it becomes a vicious circle where each makes the other worse and worse…
I do think 5-HTP has helped me break this cycle and I will report back with more info in a few weeks!
Filed under: 5-HTP, mental health | 1 Comment
Tags: 5-HTP, anxiety, insomnia, mental health
Asics Gel Platinum, Size 8
Yesterday I took some time out of my busy study schedule to head to Dick’s for some new running shoes. I was pleasantly surprised at how knowledgeable the sales people in the shoe department were — usually they are terrible. At first I was overwhelmed because they had every color of every model displayed on the wall. I don’t see the point in that because I don’t think a runner is going to pay $60 - 120 for a pair of shoes because of their color. A nice (read: cute) guy who knew a lot about shoes kindly guided me away from an absolutely gorgeous, succulent, lacy-looking Sauconys in shades of green that are apparently best for fast 5k runners and toward a couple models of Asics. I then found myself at a special display of more Asics of another model. I asked a woman what the difference between these was, and I settled on a supportive yet flexible pair of Gel Platinums. I walked around their little indoor track a few times, then asked the guy if he thought they fit right, and he told me they were too small, which I had a feeling they were. I ended up getting a whole size bigger than I usually buy — an 8. I was a little nervous about this today, but they felt fantastic. I think they’ll be a very good pair of shoes. This time I’m going to keep track of the miles on them.
mine are not these colors
Apparently, these shoes were made by Asics specifically for Dick’s. I have to smile at this because Dick’s started as a little fishing supply store right here in my home town. Their first store is still open and is just as it always was, on an industrial road near some scuzzy bars and strip clubs. And now Asics makes a shoe just for them!
In other running news, I had a terrible 17-miler last Sunday that made me want to curl up and die. Between 6 and 9 am the humidity was unbearable, and I had mapped a new route so hilly that I had to push to make 10 min/mile. This is a really good way to take one’s confidence down a notch or 3. On top of that, two of my customers at work that day said they had seen me running. The latter quarter of my run was a lot flatter though, and I got some 8-9 min/miles in at the end. My legs killed and I soaked in an ice bath afterward for 15 minutes, a first. I think that helped a bit, but they were still very sore Monday, and Tuesday I overslept and then didn’t have time to run, which I think was really for the best.
Today I did 2 miles to Hill of Doom (so named by our high school track team) and 5 x Hill. I don’t know if it was pre-menstrual cramps, 5-HTP side-effects, the too-tight top I was wearing, or grandma’s chocolate chip nut bread (which I had for lunch), but I really thought I was going to vomit. I banged out 1:40, 1:42, 1:51, 1:52, and 1:41. The two slower hills occurred when I tried to maintain good form — the three faster ones when I wept and wailed and crawled on all fours. I’m not sure how long the hill is, but I’d guess about 400 meters.
The lesson of the day: marathon training and 1/2 loaf chocolate chip nut bread do not mix. Unless it’s Sunday AFTER my long run.
Filed under: long run, marathon training, product review | 5 Comments
Tags: marathon, marathon training, running, running shoes
Adventures in 5-HTP
The trouble with writing posts like this is that you get people on your blog who came just to read about that one thing, which is often a very small aspect of my blog and indeed of myself. As a blog writer I see this as problematic, however, as a blog reader, I often find entries on specific topics quite useful. Sometimes I find random blogs my most valuable sources of information because they were written by real, regular people as opposed to professionals or advertisers looking to sell something. So, here you go, world: my first experiences with the “natural supplement” 5-HTP (Wikipedia article).
First off, I have a problem with calling things like this “natural” just because it can be purchased OTC and strategically, at natural food stores. Yes, 5-HTP is a substance that is “naturally” in your body, meaning that it’s there now whether you take the supplements or not. However, I don’t think it’s quite fair to separate these natural substances from other “unnatural” ones that effectively work the same way such as paroxetine (Paxil), which is probably the “unnatural” substance most similar to 5-HTP.
By the way, I’m a pharmacy tech, so I have just enough knowledge about these kinds of things to be dangerous!
For example, most people would consider the scent of a banana “natural.” It would be silly not to! But did you know that I can make the molecule that IS this scent in a chemistry lab from simple chemicals that did not come from a banana at all? It is the same molecule, yet is obviously not “natural.”
Well, enough of that. The reason I have started a 5-HTP regimen is that I have decided that I no longer wish to put up with problems that can be fixed. The worst of these is insomnia, which is probably caused by anxiety and which makes me all the more anxious. In the medical field “anxiety” is a random disorder or it’s own, like hypertension or some such, but for me it seemed like just had real, understandable reasons for being anxious — like, “if I don’t do well in this class, it will seriously hurt my chances of doing what I want in the future.” That’s real.
And yet I am and have always been the poster child of stress management. I run, hard, almost every day. I keep up with my work as not to be overwhelmed by it. I take time to relax by reading, writing, and talking to friends and family. I eat well and go to bed at a reasonable hour (only to lie there for hours upon hours more!).
Ultimately, I realized there were no more lifestyle changes I could made that would ease my psychological pains. I thought that perhaps there was some physiological basis for them. I thought maybe they were tied to my menstrual cycle (some aspects to get worse around that time, such as weird paranoia-like anxiety, hopelessness, random crying, difficulty concentrating), but sleeplessness, the worst of these problems, can come any time. My gyn is trying to help by “getting my hormones regular” and put me on Loestrin-24. No problems with that side-effect wise, but it hasn’t helped at all either.
Yet the thought of going to the doctor with the specific intent of telling her my psychological troubles seems rediculous. I feel like she’d look at me and say, “Well, that’s too bad. What do you want me to do?” I’m pre-med, and I just don’t think of doctors as being able to help people with their “problems with living” as Dr. Szasz put it in his book The Myth of Mental Illness. Anyway, I feel like that’s what she would say, and I’d be pretty embarrassed.
In addition to my fear of going to the doctor, I began to truly believe that my problems are heavily based in some physiological problem. I do have a family history of depression, and it is possible that I’m just naturally low on some “feel-good chemical” that everyone else is so lucky to have enough of. I’ve always felt that I just had to deal with this, like it was my lot. But screw that. 5-HTP produces more serotonin. I probably am low on serotonin. Instead of self-medicating with dozens of chocolate chip cookies, why not just take a “supplement” natural or otherwise?
More to come, after I’ve taken it for a few more days.
Filed under: 5-HTP, mental health | 0 Comments
Tags: 5-HTP, anxiety, depression, insomnia, mental health
A week or so on the disabled list is a good thing now and then to remind a long-time runner how perfect and awesome her chosen sport truly is.
It feels soooo good to be back on the road again. My foot is still a bit sore when I walk, especially in backless shoes, but it doesn’t give any problems at all running. My knees are getting a bit sore though, I’ve noticed, while running, and so it’s probably time for some new kicks. This time I’m going to keep track of how many miles are actually on them.
As an aside: I really hate it when I’m out running at 6 am and I run by another runner, who is either running on the opposite side of the road facing me or on the sidewalk facing me (I run on the asphalt) and I say hi and they ignore me. Come on, it’s 6 am, how can you not be friendly to another morning runner? There aren’t many of us. And it’s stupid because I don’t care how hard they are “training” at the moment because I know that few people are really training harder than me (and I mean in terms of focus/intensity more than raw speed) and I still have the decency to say “Good Morning.”
What is the deal? If you are one of these people, why do you do this? Please try to be friendlier… I think it would make your morning even more enjoyable. It would mean a lot to me to share a moment with you as a fellow morning runner.
Filed under: injury, marathon training, running | 1 Comment
Tags: marathon, marathon training, running
I Made Lemonade
Tomorrow will be my first run since last Wednesday. It’s only been 9 days, but it’s really strange, how much longer it feels–like months. I am so excited! My foot feels about 90-95% normal. It’s weird how the injury has transformed in this time to being a vague, cramp-like feeling along the outer edge of the foot to being very localized (just below my ankle) to the point where it hurts mostly only when I press on the spot and feels like there should be a bruise there.
These 9 days have been therapeutic in other ways, too. I’ve begun a weight-lifting routine and have focused more on core work and stretching. I’ve also become a bit of a dabbling triathlete. I can swim for 45 minutes now, when before I couldn’t concentrate for more than 20, and I can bike a whole marathon without being sore the next day, when not long ago I was severely disabled after a mere 10 mile ride to the store and back! I have a LOT a lot to learn in both sports (and I feel that that is still an understatement), but it’s really cool, to me, that I have these new interests and hobbies now. (But I do miss my runs, terribly.)
Filed under: cycling, injury, marathon training, swimming | 0 Comments
Tags: cycling, marathon training, running, swimming
