New Flyer Profile: Kate C

Kate C

Most of us run for a lot of the same reasons: to feel fit, look better, to be part of the team, and especially because we just do better on the days we can fit in a run. Then there are the reasons that vary from runner to runner. For me as a full-time mum (I’m English and could never be a “mom”), running is a break from the responsibility of motherhood. I first realized this two weeks after my second child was born, in January 2009. I’d always jogged a bit, but that spring running became more important to me. It was the only time I wasn’t a mum. For half an hour I could forget I even had a two-year-old and a baby at home. I got fitter, joined a London running club, and got sucked into the world of racing and marathons. I think every race I ran that year was a PR.

Then in 2010 one of my brothers, who is not a runner, decided to enter a trail marathon. I couldn’t let him do something tougher than I had done, so I entered too. Despite running the last 17 miles of it with a sprained ankle (it’s ok, I still beat my brother), I was a convert to trail running. Why would you want to run somewhere you wouldn’t go for a walk? Muddy calves and pretty trails made a run all the better. My home in south-west London was on the doorstep of Richmond Park’s 3.7 square miles of hills, woods, mud, bracken and deer.

Richmond Park Brook

If I ventured off the main trails I would sometimes run without seeing anyone else at all. Some weekends I was lucky enough to run on the nearby South or North Downs, chains of beautiful rolling chalk hills that got pushed up when the Alps formed.

The Seven Cliffs that Mark the End of the South Downs Path

Another pregnancy followed in 2011 and I was glad to be able to run right through the months of relentless nausea and vomiting to the day my daughter arrived. During that time when I felt that my body had been taken over completely, running let me know that I was still me.

Meanwhile in day-to-day life, my oldest son started at an amazing local public school, I couldn’t walk to the store without bumping into people I knew and the kids could crawl through a hole in the backyard fence to play with their friends next door. When I put my rose-tinted glasses on now, I see was living in fairytale land.

And then to New York. I was off to bed one evening in July 2012 when my husband called from a business trip to say he had to move out here immediately. I was not exactly thrilled. I spent the next five months alone with a baby and two kids waiting for my green card, and in that time I worried about how we would cope without a backyard, about how my son would cope in a big city public school (happily the school is fantastic) -- and about how I would cope swapping the trails I loved for Central Park. The running paths there were so clearly defined as to seem sterile, and running the 6-mile loop required so little awareness as to seem mindless. And it was so busy. I was used to peace.

I joined the Dashing Whippets, a great group, but running with them in the evenings entailed the cost and hassle of a sitter. Then one of the Whippets, Elizabeth Miller, introduced me to the Flyers and Francine’s amazing 6am running group. I had never tried speedwork so early in the morning before, and did not even believe it possible before breakfast, but I gave it a go. Everyone there was so cheery, even in terrible weather, and I started to look forward to the early morning chatting and not just to the run. I knew I’d found my club, and switched teams.

Francesco Presutti and Elizabeth Miller -- Friends from the Flyers 6AM Running Group

It is thanks to the Flyers I have learned that, while loops of Central Park might be tough if I was running them all solo, the best thing about the park and what makes it a great place to run are, of course, the other runners.

Francine’s group does not kowtow to a mere polar vortex, and the consistent pre-breakfast training over this past winter allowed me to meet half marathon and 5K targets that I had set back in 2009. Later this year I hope to be lining up on the Verrazano Bridge with my 9+1 place, and I cannot wait to run around the five boroughs. Next year however I think I may run fewer NYRR races and try to see more of the trails outside the city. I ran the North Face Endurance Challenge 50K on Bear Mountain last May which was the best running day I’ve ever had, and my long-term running ambitions now lie in enjoying trail running and maybe ultra trail running rather than in trying to improve on my road times.

Crossing the Finish Line With Both Of My Boys
At The Bear Mountain 50K

I’m still a full-time mum; the kids are now 2, 5 and 7. I love being with them each day and I’m lucky that it’s an option for me, but I couldn’t do it if I didn’t have running. Running is the only thing I have that’s for me. And I know that as long as I’m a runner in New York City, I’ll be running with the New York Flyers. Thank you for having me on the team.

-Kate C.

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Flyers Friday Flashback -- Winter/Spring 1992

Blogmaster's Note:  This year is the Flyer's 25th Anniversary as a running club in NYC.  In honoring our long history, this is the first in a series of posts featuring excerpts from Flyers newsletters dating back to 1992.  Both the name (Flyers Flashback Friday) and the concept were suggested by long-time Flyer Scott C -- thanks Scott!

In the article below by Flyer Jonathan Buck from the oldest surviving Flyers newsletter -- Winter/Spring 1992 -- we can enjoy reading about the 2nd Annual Flyers Awards Dinner, which included a special guest appearance by NYC Marathon Founder Fred Lebow.  Fun that many of the traditions we see at more recent Flyers Awards Galas were evident back in 1992.  Interesting that despite our much larger current membership, the awards portion of the 1992 event (2 hours) was quite a bit longer than at recent galas. To read the entire newsletter from which this article appeared, you'll need your Flyers password when you click HERE.  -Dave K, NY Flyers Blogmaster

A Night to Remember

by Jonathan Buck

Jonathan Buck
(photo from 1991)

On February 21, 1992 sixty-five people gathered for the second annual New York Flyers awards dinner. The event was organized by Betsy Wissinger and Joanne Robinson and the master of ceremonies was Michael Mantel.  The dinner was held at the Gulf Coast restaurant in the West Village. This unique social spot has a very festive, Cajun flair.  From the initial cocktail hour the energy level quickly filled the room and members who had not seen each other for many months were hugging and exchanging their recent running experiences. We had the entire second floor, and the neon chalkboard had a "Welcome New York Flyers" message on it. Everyone was decked out in stylish fashion statements and looked their personal bests.

As we moved from the bar to the buffet line, Fred Lebow, president of the NYRRC arrived and made some wonderful remarks about the Flyers organization and its members. I thought it was great that Fred made the effort to come down and meet many of the Flyers on a personal level.

When Laura Leale and I asked Fred to join us, we knew he had a policy of not endorsing or favoring any particular running team. But we were glad when he decided to make an exception and pay us a visit this time. If anything, it was a tribute to the friendliness of all our members.

Another most welcome guest was Abdul El-Amin, who runs many of the volunteer activities at the NYRRC. Abdul is an "honorary" Flyer and has always thought highly of our team. He presented a number of his own "Special Volunteer" awards to Flyers for efforts during the last year.

After feasting on a variety of Southern Louisiana-style entrees, the MC, Michael Mantel, took the floor for the awards presentations. Michael can best be described as a cross between Woody Allen and Robin Williams: he is animated, humorous, and uniquely different with his "off the cuff" remarks. During the next two hours, over forty awards were presented by various members, to various members. The presentation speeches included everything from childhood stories, to poems of running bloopers, bleepers and blunders.  The acceptance speeches were used as encouragement and inspiration to each member to excel to higher levels of running, triathlon, and biathlon performances. It was indeed a remarkable year, during which many members significantly improved their speed and technique, which resulted in many outstanding performances.

After the awards presentations, the Flyers got ready to get crazy on the dance floor.  The tables were moved out of the way and the sound system started pumping out "Don't Rock the boat" by the Hues Corporation. I then proceeded to fill up the Flyers men's Class B first place award (from Tiffany's) with significant amounts of dark beer which was passed around in a big circle. Each Flyer then jumped into the middle of the circle to do their sample of 90s dancing. Madonna's "Like a Prayer" was cranked up and the Flyers just kept dancing and laughing until about 1:30 AM. At that point, a small group of Flyers decided to investigate the downstairs bar, which they ended up closing. Then it was off to breakfast at 3:00 AM to satisfy their dance-starved stomachs. It was a great ending for a beautiful night.

Once again, I would like to thank Betsy, Joanne, Michael and the Awards Dinner Committee for putting so much work into this event and making it a first class production. Yahoo! I can't wait till next year!

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Run for Boston

Mary Wittenberg

It snuck up on me.  On Sunday, April 6, the day after so many of you ran in the Scotland Run –– our second Club Team race of the year - we gathered for our four mile “Run for the Parks,” benefiting City Parks Foundation. It’s always fun and gratifying to stage this event in support of CPF and their important work in our neighborhoods. This year, with the buzz and energy created by the “double” race weekend, I jumped on stage extra pumped-up to welcome the runners and thank our staff and volunteers.

The view from the stage took my breath away. I had a major flashback. My voice caught for a moment when it all came back.  Last year, we gathered for this race six days after the Boston bombings.

I took some pictures of that race and had them put together into the following video:

Just short of a year ago, the Run for the Parks was an overwhelmingly poignant race for which our running community gathered to honor Boston and to be together. The scene from the stage that day was incredibly moving. Run for Boston shirts. Red Sox hats. Grief mixed with resilience. Total silence as runners stood shoulder to shoulder for a moment to remember those lost and hurt in Boston. Tears rolled and applause surged as our national anthem singer, a Bostonian, fought through her cracking voice, “…and the home of the Brave….,” to unite us with Boston in that moment.

Last Year at Run for the Parks
"I Run for Boston"

I had planned to run London that day. It was to have been my first marathon in 19 years and the last for likely as many. I was super fit for me, and was going to squeeze the marathon in before I had foot surgery, just in case the result was a premature end to my long distance runs.  After Boston, my London run lost its significance for me.  It was more important for me to be with our running community at our CPF race as we gathered together for the first time post-Boston.  On that day, as I’m sure many others felt, too, I wanted to run a marathon for a bigger reason than my own time or personal experience. Boston 2014 became my new goal.

Last year’s Boston Marathon was a moment of tragedy and clarity for us all at New York Road Runners (NYRR) and in running. I’ll never forget flying high as I cheered on my idol and friend, Joan Benoit Samuelson, at the finish line. Joanie represents the best of Boston and running for me. 

With Joan Benoit Samuelson

I was so excited for her, as I watched in the brilliant sunshine with her husband Scott, daughter Abby and our friend, Josh Rowe of New Balance, as Joanie was on track to smash her goal of 2:52:43 (typical Joanie!). Josh and I dashed to the finish line barricades to give Joanie a big hug and snap photos in celebration of her feat –– and then I was off to make my train, with minutes to spare.  Then, just over an hour later while riding home with George Hirsch and many others from NYRR, I received a heart stopping text from Josh….our “worst nightmare…” 

With NYRR Board Chair George Hirsch

My heart was broken that day, and remains heavy today, when I think of Martin Richard and his family, and every single person and family hurt or killed that day. For those of us who spend our lives providing people with the opportunity to dream big through running, cheering and volunteering at our marathons and races, there is no worse nightmare than what happened in Boston that day. People are supposed to come away from our races feeling uplifted and hopeful –– healthier, fitter and enriched –– after having been part of something so positive and bigger than themselves.  What happened last year on Patriots Day was the opposite of that. 

Bonnie Ford of ESPN wrote a beautiful piece on the tragedy on that Boston Monday with a headline that will stay with me forever, “Attack Will Test Marathon Community.” I read that piece to my NYRR staff as we gathered in mourning at the office the next day. Bonnie’s words captured the day, from the pain and heartache to the challenge ahead. She magically captured the essence of what Boston, New York and marathons worldwide are all about - the coming together of people in an extraordinary way.  She wrote of  “….a celebration of a range of achievement, not just the top percentile….an impressionist painting of accomplishment” and, “...a collective civic experience…” and, in Boston, “…with more than a century of history.” Many of those same sentiments were captured beautifully by President Obama when he addressed the nation. 

On that emotional Tuesday morning after the race, I looked into the eyes of our NYRR team –– many in their 20s and 30s –– and saw their concern for those lost and hurt, and for a meaning to it all.  Many NYRR staff were in Boston the day before, running, volunteering, cheering, doing what our running community does so well –– supporting each other.  One thing was clear to me –– that this was a moment that would only deepen our resolve to ensure that the beautiful essence of what our marathons and races are all about would go on. Bonnie’s words gave me expression better than my own on that day. “The next time this –– or any  –– marathon is run anywhere in the world, they will run for yet another [reason].  To show that the power of communal achievement can be beaten on one day, but not on most days and never indefinitely.”

That sense of community, as well as President Obama’s words in Boston, inspired all of us at NYRR and heightened our focus on our road to the 2013 NYC Marathon. Now, in addition to all the meaning of our marathon for NYC, we would work for Boston, for running and for all that we hold dear about the spirit of our communal marathon days.  The 2013 NYC Marathon became about lifting all. “On that toughest mile, just when we think we have hit a wall, someone will be there to cheer us on and pick us up if we fall. We know that.”  Those words also continue to inspire me –– and our team –– as we prepare to honor every person in Boston lost or hurt, and run and work in fullest support of our friends at the B.A.A. and the entire running community. 

There we stood in Central Park almost a year later, following hundreds of races being run in New York and elsewhere around the world, including a record field of more than 50,000 people crossing the finish line on NYC Marathon Sunday last November in front of throngs of cheering New Yorkers. The view from the stage this year was a study in contrasts.  Smiles, laughter, spirited chatter, kids, adults, people swaying and warming up for their run to the music of the race DJ.  I was most struck by so many smiling faces. Other than the sprinkling of Boston Strong tee shirts, there was little hint of the trauma and tragedy of the year before among the sea of beaming faces and colors. But just beneath the surface, the memory lingers.

I am a bit anxious about my run in Boston. I am less fit than a year ago and the prospect of warmer weather scares me after our training through a chilling winter.  I want to make it a good run, not so much for me, but for what the day represents.  I am incredibly excited to be part of a day when we will honor and remember so many just by being there….by carrying on….by doing our best.

I feel privileged to be one of over 40 NYRR staff members who have volunteered to work that day or will run the race in support of the Boston community.  I will run for my amazing husband Derek, our two sons Alex and Cary, who we cherish so much, all of my friends and family, and you, our local runners, who inspire me every day.  As I run for Boston and for the many young people who deserve the same opportunity to discover how running can change lives, I run with you and for us all.

I don’t plan on running another marathon until Alex and/or Cary decide it’s their turn (that’s if they’ll have their mom in the same race!), and I have never raised money personally in connection with a race. This time is different.  Like many of you, I am moved to make the most of this day for others –– to add to its positive impact and legacy.  No pressure here, but I welcome you to join me and our NYRR team as we Run for Life, by making a donation to benefit One Fund Boston –– which provides critical support to those affected by the bombings, and our NYRR youth programs –– which share the gift of running with kids throughout our city and beyond.

Blogmaster's Note:  You can click HERE to view Mary's fundraising page  –– 50% of the funds raised will go to One Fund Boston and the other 50% to fund NYRR youth programs.  

Our running world may look much the same post-Boston 2013, but it will never be the same, nor should it be.  Just like we did at Run For the Parks on April 6th, and on NYC Marathon Sunday on November 3, 2013 when all ran strong towards the Central Park finish line following a specially painted yellow line (next to our normal blue line) to honor Boston, we’ll forever run with those lost and those hurt that day in our hearts.

Line-Painting Ceremony Prior to the 2013 NYC Marathon
With Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Exec. Dir. Tom Grilk

At NYRR, we’ll strive more than ever to empower the dreams of so many and to protect that most unique aspect of our events and our marathons  ––  those amazing days when as volunteers, spectators, runners, friends and strangers, we come together and become part of something so much bigger than ourselves.

-Mary Wittenberg, President and CEO, NY Road Runners 

#BostonStrong #MarathonStrong #RunforLife

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Training for Boston - A Bit of a Slog

 by Papa Bear

This month I will run my sixth Boston Marathon.  There was a good chance that last year's run (the 2013 Boston — which was to be a 70th birthday present to myself) would have been my last Boston.  But as we all know, that ended very badly, so this year I get a "do-over"  and I will run this year's race, not as a birthday present to myself, but in memory of the dead and injured and in tribute to the volunteers and first responders who saved many, many lives last April.    

But training is training no matter the motivation, and I have been  putting in the miles and hours needed for a successful marathon.

However, this year, things were not easy for a number of reasons and it was probably the toughest marathon training I have ever done.

But I'm tapering now, and feeling good and expect a good race, so you can put these training issues in context and wish me luck on April 21st.

The Polar Vortex and Other Nasty Stuff

This winter, we learned there was something new to worry about, "The Polar Vortex." It's a catchy phrase, don't you think? It has something to do with some phenomenon up in the polar region which causes a vortex of cold air to break away from the usual circumpolar flow, and this "breakaway Vortex" heads down to our region, makes us cold, and eventually dissipates. I guess we used to be told there was some "cold Canadian air" moving down into our region. A vortex is clearly a much sexier term. 

And the usual crowd of Global Warming deniers were quick to make fun of this as clear proof that if our weather was getting colder, then Global Warming must be a hoax. And of course the other side vehemently pointed out that the Polar Vortex, proved Global Warming was happening since it was warm air at the pole that was pushing this cold vortex south. 

But for us, it was just cold. 

Most of the runners I talked to agreed that this was the worst weather for training they had experienced in a long while, or ever. I tried to keep to my training plan but ended up skipping a run here or there. The two races I ran (see below) were very cold — 16° and 23° — and one long run in the frozen snow was very sketchy. I tried to do some runs on the treadmill, but soon gave up. I guess I'm just an outdoors kind of guy. 

But with the arrival of April, it seemed like spring was finally arriving. Early flowers bloomed in Central Park and I could at last run without wearing 2 or 3 layers. 

Maybe it was all just a bad dream ... 

January to March: Pains and Doctors

From the very start of my training, in fact for almost a year, I had been bothered by tightness and soreness in the right hamstring. Typically this caused a slight tightness during the first mile or two of a run and then later a soreness which eventually would necessitate stopping and massaging and stretching the problem area. This was manageable, but just barely, and seemed to be slowly improving. One thing that may have helped was a gradual evolution of my foot strike from the heel to the mid foot. But it was frustrating that what should have been a minor injury a year ago would become a chronic condition. 

To add insult to injury, just as my hamstring problems seemed to be diminishing — I could run longer and longer without having to stop and stretch — another old nemesis, namely numbness (which would increase to the point of pain) in my right forefoot seemed to be coming back to haunt me. I first noticed this in 2011, and it would start towards the end of a few 20 milers I did that summer, and also around mile 10 in a couple of half marathons. Once again this started to bother me in the late miles of my long runs and it was getting worse, happening earlier and earlier in a run. 

And lastly, throughout most of January and February, and extending into early March, I had persistent chest congestion. No runny nose, no sore throat, just congestion which would cause some coughing and shortness of breath. And not surprisingly, this, coupled with the interminable cold weather, had a strong negative impact on my running. 

The General Practitioner

Having gone 3 or 4 weeks with little improvement of my chest congestion,  and at the urging of my wife, I went to see Dr. K.,  my primary care physician,  on February 11th.
 

That's me, not the doctor

 She did a routine exam, including a throat examination, and listened to my breathing. She said, no, I certainly did not have bronchitis or (heaven forbid) pneumonia, it was just a chest cold, and she had seen many of these from among her patients this season. She said just take some cough medicine (Robitussin) and expect it to last 6 or 8 weeks. 

Well, it did slowly (very slowly) get better and had largely disappeared by March. 

The Orthopedist

I decided that I should see an orthopedist to get a professional diagnosis and recommendation for my hamstring problem. So it was that on Feb. 14th I went to see Dr. P. (who is part of my health care group) and he did a thorough examination and got the whole history of the problem. He ordered X-rays of the pelvis and lower spine to rule out skeleton problems. He characterized my condition as "hamstring tendinitis," which is very non-specific. 

The X-ray report from the radiologist had lots of medico-speak such as "mild proliferative changes" and "mild subchondrial sclerosis".  Big words can always seem scary, but Dr. P. said for a person my age this sort of reading was not problematic and in fact was better than average. 

The only treatment that Dr. P. said might help was to administer cortisone shots to the affected area, which would first require an MRI to identify exactly where the best target area for the shots were located. Since the problem was slowly getting better, I declined. 

Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire

Meanwhile, as I mentioned above, I was gradually trying to move my foot strike forward. I was not trying intentionally to land on a particular part of the foot, but rather trying to move from my heel to the mid foot and on getting a good leg lift and a more rapid turnover. Whether by coincidence or by cause, my hamstring problem was improving and I only felt a little tightness and soreness. But low and behold an old problem which I had not experienced for almost a year started to come back: my right forefoot, especially near the big toe, would at first get a tingling, then numbness and eventually pain in the later miles of a run. This was particularly evident during a February 1st 14 mile long run.
This problem gradually got worse such that instead of occurring around mile 10 or 12, it would start around mile 5 or 6. It was time to see the podiatrist. 

The Podiatrist

On March 13th, I saw Dr. L., a highly recommended podiatrist who specializes in running problems. I had seen him almost a year ago, about 2 weeks after the 2013 Boston Marathon, and he suggested moving the contact point back from the forefoot onto the arch. He put some padding on the bottom of my insole (a standard Spenco Arch Support insole) and said to try it out and see how it feels. It turns out that I was cutting back on mileage at that point and taking time off from the high level of training I had done for the 2013 Boston. Subsequently into the summer and fall, I did only short races and modest mileage, so whether it was the reduced mileage or the doctor's padding on the insole, the problem disappeared.

But now it was back. 

This time, his diagnosis was similar but with more data he gave a more in-depth analysis. He said, yes indeed, moving from a heel strike to a midfoot strike could help the hamstring problem but exacerbate the forefoot problem. And he said the X-ray report which I showed him was one any 71 year old would be happy to get. Since I was planning a 20 miler that weekend, he put some padding in the arch as he had last year and said to call him early the following week to see if that helped. 

On Wednesday of the next week, I talked to him on the phone and gave him a report on how the long run went (see below The "Longer Runs" Get Longer). In short it was not a bad run, but not everything went perfectly (what does?) So although the results were encouraging, more trials and testing lie ahead. 

How am I doing? A Couple of Races

When my coach, Joe, started laying out a schedule for my marathon training, he said I should plan a race of about 10 miles to a half-marathon about 8 weeks before Boston to gauge how I was doing in my training. There was nothing I was interested in running just 8 weeks prior to Boston, but the Prospect Park Track Club Cherry Tree 10 miler (on February 16th) was about 9 weeks out. So he said that was fine. I said I would also like to run the Manhattan Half (now renamed the Fred Lebow Manhattan Half) three weeks before the Cherry Tree, so he said, go for it. 

Interestingly, I ran these same two races last year — the half was a couple of weeks before I injured my hamstring, and the 10 miler was just after. The results were strikingly different: I ran a very strong Half at about a 9 minute pace and 2nd in my age group (see this). In the 10 miler I was practically limping and just managed a 10:25 pace (see this). 

A year later things were quite a bit better. Although I still had a lingering problem in the hamstring, to say nothing of a very cold training season and some chest congestion, I managed a 9:49 pace in the half and a 9:27 pace in the 10 miler. No, I wasn't near my 2013 nine-minute per mile half-marathon pace, but I felt very happy to come back as far as I had. And furthermore, the hamstring problem was only a modest problem in the half, and the numbness problem was not a significant factor in either race. 

Winter, on the other hand, was a factor. The January 26th half clocked in at 16° — I wore more layers than I can remember in a race and I even wore a balaclava (aka a ski mask), which I went out and bought for the occasion. The February 16th Cherry Tree was a balmy 23° — but to make up for the warm temperatures, an inch or two of fresh snow had fallen the night before. Luckily the course around Prospect Park was mostly clear, although you had to thread your way carefully at certain spots. 

There's a strong similarity between these two parks. They were both designed by Olmsted and Vaux in the 19th century, and and both have hills to test the runner. The half is a bit over 2 loops of Central Park and the Cherry Tree is 3 loops of Prospect Park. 

Manhattan Half  Elevation Profile

Cherry Tree 10 Miler Elevation Profile

The two profiles above give the gist of these runs (sorry, I had to paste 3 pieces together for the Manhattan Half profile). I would say the elevation gain per mile is about the same. I tried to line them up so they are at the same scale and both start at the same point on the page. If you look closely at the numbers on the Central Park profile, although the scale goes way up to 233 feet, the hills just barely make it to 130'. 

My personal preference is for Prospect Park. Although it comes 3 times, I think of it as one hill per loop, for what that is worth. And even considering the shorter distance, my pace was significantly faster.

March: The "Longer Runs" Get Longer

I had been following a long run schedule laid out by Coach Joe since December. It was actually a schedule of a "Shorter Run" in the morning and a "Longer Run" in the afternoon. This schedule was designed to gradually help my hamstring problem heal (see earlier post), while at the same time moving my mileage up. Consequently it was much less aggressive, mileage wise, than many of my previous marathon training schedules had been. 

The shorter run / longer run combination was meant to build endurance in smaller increments while building on the ability to run a long run while the body was tired. Of course, a 3 mile shorter run plus a 15 mile longer run was not the same as an 18 mile run, but the 3 plus 15 combination did give more training value to the 15 miler than if I had (as I usually do) taken off the day before and the day after the long run. 

Here's a quick outline of the schedule (as run):
 

Date	Shorter Run	Longer Run
Build-up Phase
December 7	3 miles	12 miles
December 14	3 miles	12 miles
December 21	3 miles	13 miles
December 28	3 miles	10 miles
January 4	-	12 miles
January 11	3 miles	12 miles
January 18	3 miles	13 miles
January 26	Manhattan Half
February 1	3 miles	14 miles
February 8	3 miles	15 miles
February 16	Cherry Tree 10 Miler
February 22	3 miles	16 miles
Peak Phase
March 1	3 miles	18 miles
March 8	3 miles	16 miles
March 15	-	20 miles
March 22	5 miles	12 miles
March 30	-	20 miles
Tapering Phase
April 5	5 miles	10 miles
April 13th	10K Trail Race
Boston Marathon

I'll talk a little about the two 20 milers, since those are the epitome of the training. 

The first 20 was in good old Central Park on March 15th. It was a mild, partly cloudy day in which NY Flyer friend Melissa C and one of her friends ran 7 or 8 miles of the run with me. In rough outline, it was 4 miles for me from home up to the park where I met Melissa and her friend. Then I did two 6 mile loops, of which the others joined me for the first. Then it was 4 miles back home to make 20. Here's a map (although most of you will be intimately familiar with this territory.

Central Park 20 Miler Route
Click for on-line map

From my Training Log:

Numbness overall some better
Moved back to heel striking and used altered arch supports from Dr. L.
Went longer and numbness was more tingling that hurt.
Home to Boathouse via Melissa's: very slight tingle. Massaged foot briefly

1st loop: Some numbness last few miles, no pain. More delayed than previous week. Massaged foot for a while.
2nd loop: some numbness from about 13. Pain at 14.6. Stopped and massaged foot and took out heel lift. Felt the difference - more impact on rt. heel. At end of loop (72 & Fifth) some tingling, massaged some more.
Home: some tingling. Massaged briefly at 34th Street (19.5). OK to home.  

Overall fitness good. Rt. hamstring no problem.
Not as sore as previous week after the run. 
 
I considered this a good run with the hamstring problem largely absent, and the numbness diminished. The following elevation profile is interesting in the number of ups and down you get in going around Central Park, but I guess everyone knows that already.

Central Park 20 Miler Elevation Profile

Two weeks later found me in Thornton, Colorado, where we were visiting my son and his family who moved there about 6 months before. It was our first visit and we knew little about the area (a suburb of Denver) except what we could get from a Google Map. We did know it was a dry flat area just east of the Rockies. Dry and flat sounded good for a long run (in spite of the 5000+ foot elevation), but where to run? Roads were not pedestrian friendly and I couldn't very well run across farm fields. 

It turns out that this particular town, Thornton,  (largely developed over the last 30 years) had solved the problem. When the residential subdivisions were developed, a series of drainage ditches were preserved (for mitigation in time of flooding) and around most of them a right-of-way was established — sometimes narrow and sometimes quite wide — and a series of bike paths were constructed on these right-of-ways. (see this: Thornton Colorado Bike Path Map.) 

In fact, they were perfect, flat running territory. So I explored the maps and planned out a 6 mile loop which started about a mile from my son's house. Voila! a 20 mile route (1 + 3 x 6 + 1 = 20). The map shows the details and the slide show shows the terrain. My impression was that is was dryer than I expected. A desert, really.

Thornton Colorado 20 Miler Route
Click for on-line map

From my Training Log:

20 miler good — but not great
hamstring OK, numbness better but still needed stops for massage

start at Peter's house
Loop 1 (CW 6.27 miles) start AT Gazebo / port-o-san, (York Ave at park)
loop 2 (CCW 7.02 miles) at 12.48 (a little before Summit Cove Rd) stopped, rubbed foot to relieve numbness
loop 3 (CW 6.45 miles) at 15.20 (same place) stopped, rubbed foot to relieve numbness (same) / at 18.71 (Colorado and 124th) stopped, rubbed foot etc.
Finish (York and Signal Creek) total 20.60 miles

The elevation profile below is more for comparison to the Central Park one than for it's intrinsic interest. Surprisingly, the total elevation difference between the high and low points  for each loop, was about the same as in Central Park, however the hills were 2 - 3 miles down and 2 - 3 miles up, which, to tell the truth, I hardly noticed during my run. To me the whole thing was flat. No one would ever say that about Central Park.

Thornton Colorado 20 Miler Elevation Profile

The following slideshow does not show the picturesque Colorado mountain terrain we've come to expect — sorry. But what you see is what I got, and it was pretty easy running.

A Magnificent Cottonwood Tree on the Bike Path

BTW: the trees that you see in most of these photos (including the one above) are Cottonwoods. They're quite impressive and I can't wait till we visit again and they are all in full leaf.


April 13th: One Last Fling —

The Van Cortlandt Track Club
Urban Environmental Challenge 10K Trail Race

Papa Bear receives
a coveted carrot muffin
from the race director

What's this? A race barely a week before my marathon? And a trail race? What if I trip and beak my ankle? Relax — this was an easy race and I was very cautious. No falls, no broken ankles for me. And I will quote Coach Joe when I asked about running a 5K a week before a marathon in 2012: 

"Running a 5K a week before a marathon can be not only OK, but beneficial. I would say that it would only be appropriate for an experienced runner who knows how to stay within themselves and not overdo things. You definitely fall into that category, so give it a go!"

I figure, if a 5K is OK, a 10K must be OK, OK ! 

The Park was beautiful and the weather was perfect (high 50°s to low 60°s) and this really helped me chase away the pre-marathon jitters and do some very enjoyable running in a place I love. 

And although I was cautious (I slowed to a walk on the many rocky ups and downs) I did push hard. I saw one other gentleman who looked to be in my age group (= gray hair) and moved ahead and stayed ahead of him in the second half of the course and yes, I beat him by a good minute or two. Unfortunately some other old guy managed to sneak ahead of us and beat me out for the 1st place in the 70+ group. 

But 2nd place isn't too bad (as my daughter would say, it was a "podium finish") and I walked away with one of the coveted carrot muffins that we strive for when we go up to "Vanny" to race on the trails. My wife (with whom I will share the prize at breakfast tomorrow) was equally pleased. 

The VCTC  Urban  Environmental Challenge 10K Trail Race

So, I "blew out the cylinders," so to speak, in this race. Now with a few days of rest, and maybe an easy 3 or 4 miler or two later in the week, I AM READY! 

For those who like to know these things, here's a link for the race: VCTC UEC 10K Trail Race


Papa Bear

This post is adapted from several posts on Papa Bear's Training Blog: Beyond Central Park: Training for the 2014 Boston Marathon – a "Do-Over" .

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My 100th Marathon -- Baton Rouge, LA

Kathy K

Blogmaster's Note: Flyer Kathy K, who authored this blog post, also has her own blog, Will Run for Miles where she regales with her true tales of travel, fitness and running (you can click HERE to view her blog). -Dave K.

On January 19, 2014, I ran my 100th marathon at the Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Baton Rouge (aka the Red Stick City) is the state capitol of Louisiana, and the second largest city in the state. 

I love New Orleans (the largest city in the state), but Baton Rouge has its own unique special charm and quaintness. It even has its own Tiger! 

The choice to run the Louisiana Marathon was an extremely excellent choice.

I first visited Baton Rouge two years ago.  Initially, I had mixed feelings about it. Although it was filled with history and the campus of LSU was beautiful, downtown Baton Rouge seemed to be rather quiet on weekends. (As I mention below, I was assured that, even in two years, there have been some dynamic changes in the city, and boy, were they right!)

But why exactly choose Baton Rouge, LA for this momentous occasion? I’ll tell you why.

First, the Marathon Maniacs, a club filled with many wonderful zany runners (many of whom I call friends) chose the Louisiana Marathon as the annual “reunion” marathon. That basically meant sharing the love, excitement, glory, support and insanity with a few hundred friends. People who didn’t shake their heads at me and say “HOW MANY MARATHONS?????” They get the lunacy. They embrace it. They make me look sane by comparison. And, I like that!

Second, I recall the Louisiana Marathon from two years ago. Although it was an inaugural event, it had all those extra touches that only a smaller marathon can have.  From the race director, to the volunteers, to the people of the city – everyone greeted us with open arms. That means a lot to me. The marathon itself encouraged and promoted not only the swift runners, but those of all abilities and paces.  Although I finished the 2012 marathon at the back of the pack, there were still plenty of people cheering and whooping it up and enjoying a party atmosphere with food, beer and music!  Man, there was still a party going on. I appreciate that.

Third, although I live in a large city, I love smaller cities that go out of their way to welcome guests. Last June, I attended a travel bloggers conference in Toronto (TBEX), and Visit Baton Rouge, the tourism board for the city, was an active sponsor at the event. Seeing how they supported and believed in bloggers, I contacted them and expressed my interest in visiting and exploring Baton Rouge in my capacity, not only as a runner, but also a travel writer. They welcomed me with the widest of open arms. They told me I should come back and see the changes – that the city was vibrant and growing.  They were bubbling over with pride and the enthusiasm was contagious – I wanted to visit and see the changes with my own eyes and write all about it. They were so right – the city is indeed flourishing!

Flat Kat

Just imagine this: on Friday January 17th, after a full day of work, I flew to Baton Rouge (BTR) and arrived after 10 pm. I waited for the shuttle for the Hotel Indigo (don’t you love hotels that provide airport shuttles – even if they often make you wait a little too long?), and bleary-eyed I checked into the hotel. When I opened the door of my small but adorable room, I was shocked to find that it had been fully decorated for me – there was a basket of Louisiana Marathon souvenirs, $15 dollars of tokens to use at the Saturday Farmers Market and a Baton Rouge Museum Pass. BUT WAIT! There were also posters on the wall welcoming me and congratulating me on my upcoming 100th Marathon. “Geaux Kathy!!” Talk about southern hospitality! Could these people (especially my contact from Visit Baton Rouge, Christy) be any nicer or more generous of the heart? I think not.

It is this sort of environment that makes for a perfect marathon. I had a memorable trip on so many levels. From being treated to 26 miles of beautiful lakes and homes at the Louisiana Marathon and being cheered and congratulated by strangers and friends alike — including an appearance on the race course by my good friend, Won’t Run For Miles, who borrowed a hotel bicycle to find me at the 24 Mile mark of the marathon!

"Won’t Run" Didn’t Run
But he Cycled to the Course to Cheer for Me!

Then there was the inspirational speech at the pasta party by Matt Long, who exemplified the meaning of determination and the power of the will to live! What more can you ask for? I also had the opportunity to visit an art museum, shop at a bustling farmer’s market, eat po boys and jambalaya, stroll past the old and new state capitals, walk on the campus of the new performing arts center, the Shaw Center, walk through an old casino housed on an old riverboat and tour an old war ship, the U.S.S. Kidd. It’s a wonder I had time to run, isn’t it?

(Note: the trip was a sponsored media trip and a portion of my travel and lodging was provided by Visit Baton Rouge. However, all of my opinions are my own).

-Kathy K. 

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