15 Years to Boston -- Worth the Wait!

Stephanie Tang

 

Some people qualify for the Boston Marathon on their first attempt, but, for others, it can take years. I qualified for Boston on my 25th marathon, 10 years into my marathon journey and 7 years after my first BQ attempt!  It took another 5 years after my first BQ to finally toe the line this past April 😊

Bib Pick Up Before the 2016 NYC Marathon
At 36 Weeks Pregnant 👶

I ran my first marathon, the 2008 Potomac River Marathon, in 5:25:17. I was the second to last finisher, and my husband Ray walked me into the finish during the last 10K. I had only run a half marathon distance as part of my training, and the race was painful, to say the least! Still, I was hooked. The oxytocin released on my runs and higher highs when I conquered goal races replaced my former addiction to smoking cigarettes.

Reuniting with the Family after the 2019 NYC Marathon

Three years later, I had shaved more than 1 hour and 30 minutes off my marathon time and felt ready to attempt a 3:40 goal at the 2011 Chicago Marathon. I missed the mark by 4 minutes, and the BAA announced that BQ times would be made 5 minutes faster the following year, making a BQ feel even more like chasing an imaginary unicorn 🦄

In 2011, I opened a yoga studio, Sacred Sounds Yoga. I turned to distance running as my “moving meditation,” helping to lessen any feelings of stress and anxiety while keeping me sane. After Ray and I had two children in 2014 and 2016, my entire social life was centered around running, the only time I spent interacting with adults sans children outside of work. Through growing the business, moves, pregnancy, breastfeeding and sleep regressions, I ran.

I started training with Coach Brian Rosetti and the Flyers Marathon Training Program (MTP) the year Brian took on the role of Head Coach with the NY Flyers in 2013, but it wasn’t until after the births of my children that I was able to train consistently. I strongly believe in the VDOT method that Brian employs in his coaching and noticed that I continued to see improvements in my time with every season. In late 2018, I finally achieved my first BQ at the Clarence DeMar Marathon in 3:32:06, a 9:35 PR!

I was set to run Boston in 2020, but the world had other plans - COVID.

I was also set to run last year, but this time it was my body that had other plans - I tested positive for COVID the Friday before the race 😢 Six weeks after COVID, I hurriedly signed up for the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City, MI, and ran a PR of 3:25:48!

TCTC Bayshore Marathon 2022

This past year brought more changes, as I graduated from accelerated nursing school, and started working night shifts as a labor and delivery nurse. Despite the lack of sleep and training, I was excited to finally run the Boston Marathon, with Ray, my children and parents cheering me on. We celebrated with friends from NYC and where I now live in Westport, CT, and reunited with some of my father’s family after 15 years!

Family Cheering Squad at Mile 17 😍

Race day looked promising for runners, though not so for my family and other spectators, as it was cloudy and the forecast was for rain. I planned to hold back my pace for the first 16 miles, which I was aware was mostly downhill, and then reassess whether I could continue the pace or pick it up at that point. However, as with others, I got swept into the excitement, and ran 15 seconds per mile faster than I had intended for miles 1 through 16, and then struggled over the hills, finishing with a big positive split.

Family Reunion Dim Sum Lunch

Flyers Pre-Race Indian Food Dinner

Despite the race pace challenges, I was moved to tears as I high fived the Wellesley College girls through the scream tunnel, overwhelmed with gratitude at the opportunity to run such an historic race, one in which women only became allowed to run starting in 1972. I gave big hugs and kisses to my family at miles 17 and 25, as they stood out in the pouring rain, cheering me and others on with fervor. I grinned as I caught sight of the infamous Citgo sign, and as we made the right on Hereford and left on Boylston before the finish line.

I finally finished the Boston Marathon 15 years after my marathon journey started. I would not have changed a thing. As one journey ends, another begins.

-Stephanie Tang

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WHEN PIGS FLY

Stephanie T

Two weeks ago, I ran the 2015 Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, OH in 3:48:03, my 17^th marathon-plus! 

Although the marathon was not a PR, it ranked as one of the most special marathons, as it was my first postpartum.

 2015 Flying Pig Marathon Finish with Pei M, Ray T and Tran L

NEW TRAINING APPROACH AND EXPECTATIONS

I had trained well all season, which I was proud of, despite the fact that my daughter Keira was still only 9 months old. In fact, it was the first time ever that I had followed and executed a training plan so closely. I appreciated the science behind the Run SMART program and Coach Brian Rosetti’s extremely personalized and hands-on approach to coaching.

It was also my first postpartum marathon, and I am still breastfeeding. Instead of making time for group runs either before or after work, I had purchased a backpack that I ran with to go home from work two or three days a week with my breast milk, laptop and other items in tow. On Wednesdays, I would rush home to Brooklyn immediately after work so I could spend time with Keira before rushing back out to Central Park for the New York Flyers’ Marathon Training Program (MTP). On weekends, I would either get in a long run while my husband and fellow Flyer Ray watched our daughter, or we would go out for a run together with our running stroller.

Given the fact that I had run through my entire pregnancy, including a marathon and three half marathons, and I had read about a number of women running faster postpartum, including Liza Howard who won the Umstead-100 Mile despite stopping three times to pump on the course, and had given birth just six months prior, I had positive expectations about how the season would turn out. I believed that my expectations were valid, as I ran a 46:30 at the Scotland Run 10K in April, shaving 25 seconds from a my previous best time from 2011, and ran really strong all season long.

2014 Delaware Marathon at 7.5 Months Pregnant!

LEADING UP TO THE RACE

Ray and I left Keira with his parents for the weekend, our first time away from her overnight, and flew into Cincinnati, OH two days before the marathon. We dropped off all our belongings at the hotel, visited the race expo, which was next door to our hotel, and strolled through town before having dinner at Boca, a beautiful Italian restaurant I had made reservations for weeks ago. It was the first time we’d had dinner without Keira.

The next day, we met with fellow Flyers Pei M and Tran L for a 20-minute long easy run along the waterfront, returned to the expo with them and walked to Findlay Market, a local market with fresh and prepared foods, for lunch where Flyer Leslie L and his fiancé Noel C joined us. We enjoyed freshly made pasta, and picked up a few items for breakfast the next day. Ray and I returned to our hotel room to rest, as it had been a hot day so far and we had walked more than we had planned. The warm weather made me worry about race day, as I don’t run very well in warm weather, generally. We reconnected with everyone for an early dinner at Via Vita, an Italian restaurant near our hotel. After suffering from food poisoning the night before two marathons in the past, the 2011 Paris and 2013 Big Sur, I now always make sure to eat fully cooked, hot foods for two straight days before marathons, and kept it quite “vanilla” that evening–I had lasagna Bolognese and a side of roasted Brussel sprouts. We returned to our hotel early, and went to bed immediately.

Dinner with Fellow Flyers at Via Vite

RACE DAY PLAN

Brian had instructed me to run the first half of the race at an 8:18-20 pace. At mile 18, if I felt strong, I could pick up the pace. My projected finish time was 3:38.

Pei and Tran had planned to start slower than they had initially planned, so I considered doing the same. The temperature was going to climb to 80 degrees, and the Flying Pig was known for its tough hills on the first half of the course.

Miles 1-6 (8:22, 8:22, 8:22, 8:07, 8:21, 8:19).

We all took a group photo, Ray and I gave each other a kiss, and we wished each other good luck before the start of the race. Pei, Ray and Tran were all in the same corral as me, while Leslie was in front of us. Tran and Ray immediately headed out in front of me, and I was aware that Pei was behind me. I monitored my pace closely, aware that I typically run with a pace group, and tend to run too fast at the start of races. It typically takes at least six miles before I start to find my rhythm during a marathon, but felt strong during the start of this one. However, at around mile 4, I heard my name called, and turned around to see Tran behind me. I replied, “Hey! Oh no! I’m running too fast!” as Tran is faster than me, and I shouldn have been behind her!

Miles 5-13 (8:21, 8:19, 9:03, 8:22, 8:11, 8:26, 7:44, 8:16, 8:22).

The major uphill started around mile 5.5, and it was much more challenging than I had anticipated. I realized that I had slowed during mile 7, and despite the continued incline, and Tran exclaiming, “I’m not making up the time on the uphill,” I started to speed up shortly after. I was back on track to finish at my projected time by mile 9.

Miles 14-22 (8:24, 8:19, 8:25, 8:20, 8:38, 8:19, 8:25, 8:20, 8:38, 8:58, 9:21, 9:22, 9:43)

The hills, which were only second to the hills I encountered at Big Sur, increasing heat and constant adjustments I had made to my pace were all taking a toll on me. At mile 14, Pei had caught up to Tran and me, and we ran together for a few miles. At mile 18, however, at another incline, Pei continued running a strong pace, and I slowed down, unable to maintain my pace. At mile 20 or so, Tran passed me too, as I continued to fade.

Mile 23-26.2

I stopped checking my pace by mile 23. I saw the 3:45 pace group come from behind me at mile 24, and stuck with them for a mile before they passed me as well. I kept my legs moving, nevertheless, until I saw the finish line, and in front of me were Ray, Pei and Tran cheering me on! Ray draped the medal around my neck, and greeted me with another kiss. I was in awe that Ray had finished 12 minutes before I did, even though he hadn’t trained for this marathon at all, and we had all half expected to pass him on the course. I finished having given the marathon my all, but I was truly beat up. To serve as an example, I ran the last mile at 10:04.

 Keira and Me After Pacing the 2:00 Group for the 

2015 More/Fitness Magazine Half Marathon!

The Flying Pig Marathon certainly wasn’t my fastest marathon—it was actually my third fastest. However, it was my first since having my daughter Keira. I’m proud of all the hard work I put into training. And I’m ready to train for the next marathon.

-Stephanie T.

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Behind The Scenes: NY Flyers Gala

Stephanie T
(with family! :)

Whether you’re a relatively new Flyer or a veteran one, you’ve likely attended or at least heard about the New York Flyers’ Awards Gala. Held in late January or early February every year, the Gala is our running club’s most anticipated social event. It’s an evening during which our fellow Flyer and non-Flyer friends don cocktail attire and dress shoes in lieu of the usual tech tees, running tights and sneakers to dine, drink, dance and celebrate our respective running achievements together from the past year.

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

While you may be familiar with the exciting festivities, do you know what it takes to organize the Awards Gala? Well, it takes a village, and months too.

Roughly four months prior to the Awards Gala, the Gala Chair (me!), who is nominated by the Flyers President (Alan G), researches and books a venue for the event -- which has been held at Battery Gardens for the past few years -- connects with the Executive Board on the pricing details for the party, and organizes the initial Gala Committee meeting. The Committee is comprised of Flyers who have volunteered in previous years as well as new recruits. During the meeting, we nominate emcees, a male and female Flyer to host the awards portion of the event, start delegating important tasks to be accomplished over the next few months, and consider new or revamped ideas to be realized for the Gala.

By December, after the Awards Gala details are finalized by the Gala Chair, one of our webmasters, Richard G., publishes an announcement on the Flyers’ website with information about the event and includes an on-line registration form. The Gala also is promoted via Flyers Facebook, in eblasts to the entire membership, and by the Flyers Team Captains.

For the 2014 Awards Gala, we were fortunate that Jim C., who has a background in illustration and advertising art direction, composed a unique illustration for the evites and redesigned the Flyers logo. A few Gala Committee members, namely Linda C. and Maggie S. this past year, also secure from a number of health and wellness businesses the raffle prizes that are given away during the event.

January is “crunch time,” as there are a lot of tasks that need to be accomplished early on in the month. The Awards Committee, which is comprised of all of the Flyers Team Captains and chaired by the Team Captain Liaisons, finish deliberating on award winners, and the Awards Committee Co-Chairs (last year Lara K and Dave K) submit the names of award winners and provide write-ups to Richard B. so that he can order awards. 

Meanwhile, the Year-In-Pictures Subcommittee, last year namely Richard B., Julie W, Lara K, Maggie S and Bob C, work together to compile a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation of photos of Flyers who have been active over the past year. A group of Gala Committee members, namely Paul N., Lara K. and I, put together and have the programs printed. Our Member-At-Large Louie R. secured a DJ for us for the post-awards dancing portion of the night. A week prior to the event, the Gala Chair submits the remaining balance to the venue based on the number of RSVPs and the final menu. Leading up to the event, our emcees, who were Debbie P. and Dave K. this past year, finalize their awards presentation, rehearsing the presentation with Richard B., Ed A. and Lloyd H.

Debbie and Dave Hamming it Up

On the night of the Awards Gala, a group of Committee members (Jerry F., Linda C. and Tran L.) set up, print out and bring the name tags to the event.  A dozen volunteers help to check in guests and sell raffles, and our photographer Bob C. photographs guests as they arrive. This past year, Liz C. and Lloyd H. also hosted a New Flyer Social during the first half hour of the cocktail hour!

For the 2014 Awards Gala, it took the support of two dozen volunteers on the Gala Committee, including the Gala Chair, our Executive Board, the Flyers’ team captains and other uber important behind-the-scenes non-Gala Committee members to organize and execute the big event. It certainly does take a village to pull off the Gala, but there’s a reason it’s the most-anticipated social event of the year—it’s a guaranteed great time for everyone that joins!

We’ll be getting together for our initial meeting soon! We'll be getting together for our kick-off meeting on Monday, October 20th at 6:45pm at the Coliseum located at 312 W. 58th Street (btw 8th and 9th Aves)! If you’re interested in volunteering for the Gala Committee, please email me at: stephtangs@gmail.com.

-Stephanie T

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JFK 50-Mile Ultra Marathon

Stephanie T

Blogmaster's Note:  This Flyers Blog entry was written by Stephanie T, enhanced by her husband Ray's photography, and includes additional perspectives provided by her partners in crime, Felicity L and Julie W, as so noted below.



Stephanie:  I am a planner. This is a fact I begrudgingly admit.  During my morning subway commute to work, I plan out my schedule for the day to the minute so that I maximize the use of my time.  I schedule my vacation plans with my husband to the hour. I also, as most distance runners do, follow a training schedule and establish a goal pace for my marathons.

I knew long before my training had started for the JFK 50 Mile that I would find it difficult to plan out the logistics for this race. When I received the exciting news on May 10^th that my race entry had been accepted, I had just started to run up to 8 miles at a time –– the most mileage in more than six months –– due to a knee injury. I recognized that I had over-trained last fall, and was now slow and out of running shape.  However, I was confident that I would be able to train the “right” way this year, and for my first ultramarathon at that!

The JFK 50 Mile Race Confirmation Mailed to Participants

The JFK 50 Mile is a race of historic significance, making it all the more special.  It was first held in the spring of 1963 and was one of numerous 50 mile events held around the country as part of President John F. Kennedy's push to promote physical fitness.  The initial inspiration behind the event came from President Kennedy challenging his military officers to meet the requirements that Teddy Roosevelt had set for his own military officers at the dawn of the 20th Century.  It is the only original JFK 50 Mile Challenge event to be held every year since the challenge was launched.  Many many military personnel continue to participate each year.  This year marked the 50th running of this illustrious event.

MONTHS BEFORE RACE DAY

Stephanie: The first planning-related obstacle I tackled was finding a training schedule for an event of this distance.  We’ve all come across numerous 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon training plans in magazines, in books and on the internet, but a 50-mile one was hard to find.  After sifting through online forums for advice, I was directed to read Bryon Powell’s Relentless ForwardProgress: A Guide to Ultramarathons, from which I created a schedule, in conjunction with the New York Flyers’ Marathon Training Program—the book became the foundation for my training.

I followed my 4.5-month schedule closely as long as I felt good and strong, and I learned from last year to give myself days off when I felt too tired or sick. I completed three 14, 16, 20 and 24-mile long runs, two 18-mile back-to-back runs and one 50K long run, and I mixed in a lot of long bike rides and yoga classes, mostly during the first half of training.  I immediately grew accustomed to running with a hydration pack, in which I stored my water, food and extra clothing, and realized I preferred using it over a fuel belt (I tried carrying a bottle, and hated it so much I hid it behind some bushes after the first of four Central Park loops one day!).

I practiced and enjoyed eating solid food on my long runs, mostly PB 'n' J quarter sandwiches and halves of Honey Stinger waffles, a practice that I learned is the norm in ultras.  I started using salt tablets during long runs, and discovered that water plus salt worked much better than Gatorade for me, and diminished feelings of nausea I used to experience during runs.

Felicity: To be honest, I didn’t really follow a training plan. Basically, I did the Flyers Tuesday night speed work outs, Thursday night runs, and a long weekend run. I’ve found that I get injured easily when I run more than three times a week, and this schedule works really well for me. My long runs (not in order) were 33, 31, 30, 27, 25, 23, and a bunch of 20’s. I also travel a lot for work, and often to places where running is impossible, so my training schedule was pretty unorthodox.  I did a lot of my long runs in the Palisades trails (as well as trails in Arizona and Kenya) which I think definitely helped my trail running skills and prepared me well for the Appalachian trail section. I don’t like eating solid food on long runs and have trouble eating enough, but I found that the Hammer Sustained Energy powder mixed with OJ kept me going for hours!

Hartford Marathon + 4.9 Miles = My First 50K Run!

Julie:  This would be the third ultra I would run this year (having run a 12-hour in June and a 24-hour in July), so I already had a good base. I followed the same training plan as Stephanie, jumping right back in after taking two weeks off from the 24 hour race. This was the same program I had used for the 24 hour race (except I followed the 100 mile plan for that one). Stephanie and I actually met one another at the Hartford Marathon, which we were using as a 50K training run. Yay, marathons as training runs! 

I also tried to listen to my body rather than doggedly following the training plan, and there were times I cut back a bit, particularly if I had run a race or hard run the week before. I did very little (read: no) cross-training, other than occasional brief workouts with my kettle bell and walking between 3 and 6 miles to and from work and 5 miles on Sundays with a friend. 

Unlike most ultra runners, I prefer a waist pack, which holds two 24 ounce bottles and plenty of pockets for gels, electrolyte capsules, etc. I don’t like carrying things on my shoulders, and find I don’t notice the pack at all. Most of my training was done on roads (which came back to haunt me a bit on the Appalachian Trail), with shorter long runs on the hills of Central Park, and longer ones around the perimeter of Manhattan for the most part. 

After having experienced stomach upset trying to take in lots of gels and solid food in my 24-hour race, I decided to make a drastic change in my eating habits and adopt the primal diet. I also found the book The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Dr. Loren Cordain particularly helpful. The idea is that over time, you train your body to use stored fat as its primary fuel source, rather than sugars. This enables the endurance athlete to not only run longer without “hitting the wall”, but also to drastically limit the amount of calories required during endurance events, thus decreasing the chances of stomach upset, etc. 

For my long runs, I mainly fueled with a superstarch drink mix called Generation UCAN, but still took in the occasional gel if needed. I also only drank water and supplemented electrolytes with Saltstick capsules. 

WEEKS BEFORE RACE DAY

Stephanie: The next planning-related obstacle was one that truly took me by surprise— I would not be able to plan a race pace nor could I predict my finish time!  When I looked to my ultra friends for advice on how to pace myself, my friend (and Team In Training coach) Mike B. responded: “The thing with ultras is that the courses are all so different, compared to run of the mill road races that one 50K or 50-miler cannot be compared to another, and they certainly (if it's a trail ultra with some decent elevation gain) can't be compared to a marathon.”  I had at least started with a pace group for my last seven out of 11 marathons, so to think that I wouldn’t be able to determine a race pace was mind-boggling to me at the time (but makes complete sense now post-race!).

Felicity: Totally agree. Really hard to predict! I knew the trail section would be slow but not having run it before, it was hard to estimate. I crunched some numbers and came up with an estimate of 10 - 10.5 hours, which turned out to be correct. As my first ultra though I really was just focused on finishing rather than on time.

Julie:  Ah, the blessed variety of the ultra! When asked what my predicted finish time was, I always said I just wanted to finish under the 12 hour cutoff. This was the first ultra I had run that had strict time cutoffs at various points along the way, and while this stressed me out a bit at the start, I found it was also a great motivating force to run harder! I found that imagining the race as three races, as Stephanie outlines below, helped me to better prepare mentally for what was to come.

DAY BEFORE RACE DAY

Stephanie: The day before the JFK 50 Mile had finally arrived, and I was overwhelmed with excitement and nerves! I felt like I had a golf ball stuck in my throat, and my heart beat faster every time I thought about the race!! My nerves were diminished as Flyer Julie W, Flyer Felicity L, Felicity’s boyfriend Zack B, my husband Ray T. and I shared running and other stories (such as Julie often works with dead rats, and Felicity tapered in South Sudan!) during our pasta dinner at a local Italian restaurant.  Ultra-veteran Julie also shared a great piece of advice with us, one that I recalled throughout the race—she advised us to break the race up into segments that felt doable. She suggested three races:

(1) The first 15 miles on the Appalachian Trail;
(2) A marathon on the C 'n O Canal tow path; and
(3) The final 8 miles.

In my mind, I no longer thought of the race as a 50-miler, but rather three smaller races, a last-minute change in perspective that would prove to be of huge help..

JFK 50 Mile Map & Elevation Chart

Julie:  This day was filled with unexpected stress for me, as I experienced car trouble on the way and almost didn’t make it to the hotel. Fortunately, there was a car rental place within walking distance of where I was staying, and although they only had a giant white “soccer mom” minivan left, I gladly took it. I make it a habit to stay in a hotel with a kitchen the night before a big race so I can prepare my own food, but took a chance and had dinner out with Stephanie and Felicity. I was very glad I did this, as it helped calm my nerves, and it felt good to offer advice to the “newbies”…they didn’t really need it though.  Plus, the chicken smothered in cream sauce and butter that I ate was SO good. And by the way, I don’t work that much with dead rats…mostly mutant mice. They are FAR more interesting!

RACE DAY!

Stephanie: On race day, Ray and I walked together from a high school where the mandatory pre-race meeting was held to downtown Boonsboro, MD along with over a thousand runners and their families and friends to the race start.  We quickly found Julie, Felicity and Zack, and, without any warning (or national anthem or speech), we heard a gunshot to signify that the race had begun!

Stephanie, Julie W and Felicity L

Felicity: I really loved this part of the race! The trail was super-pretty and more run-able than I expected. Here and there the trail was a bit crowded, but as my main goal was to just keep moving at a reasonable pace and not fall on my face, it wasn’t a major problem. I actually finished the first 15 miles about half an hour faster than I thought I would, and didn’t feel too worn out – though moving on to the relatively easy terrain of the towpath was a relief for my ankles!

Stephanie: My quads felt sore and my feet and ankles beat up at the start of the towpath . A man named Don approached me who inspired me with his story.  Don was an ultrarunner who had a heart attack and open heart surgery only a year ago. Only months after surgery, Don continued to run 50 and 100-mile races, though at a much slower pace now. He simply loved to run.  I lost Don during a Port-A-Potty break at Mile 22, and only then realized how monotonous it was running on the towpath.  The scenery never changed—water to the left, trees to my right, and brown leaves beneath my feet. 

Mile 15 – The End of the Appalachian Trail

By the time I saw Ray and Zack at the Mile 27 aid station, I was struggling—physically and mentally.  I only now realized the toll that the trail had taken on my body, and the thought of having to run nearly another marathon was more than I could bear. Ray let me know that they would meet me again at Mile 39, and I contemplated ways to call him to tell him I wanted to stop.

I never called Ray.  I continued to contemplate the idea until Mile 36, when the physical pains subsided, and a switch went off with the realization that I only had a “short” long run to go—I could finish this.  I picked up the pace and smiled widely as I approached them again! I savored nearly every item that was offered at the aid station—a blueberry bagel quarter with cream cheese, an orange slice, chicken noodle soup, red velvet cake, a half of a banana and Coke—as my handler Ray restocked my hydration pack with water, and helped me slip it back on.

Mile 39 - Ray Refills My Water Bladder
(As I Refuel On Red Velvet Cake, A Blueberry Bagel Quarter
AND A Piece of Banana)

Felicity: The toughest part of the race for me was miles 27 to 39… knowing that I’d gone a long way but still had some hours to go. And it didn’t help that I was expecting the Mile 39 aid station at Mile 36 (optimistic/can’t read properly). I’d been able to keep up a strong pace so far though, so I knew that as long as I kept moving I could beat the 12-hour cut-off no matter what. I found the towpath really beautiful as well — not too monotonous!

Felicity Approaching Mile 39 -- Finally!

I think I hit the nutrition really well –  until Mile 40 I only drank my Hammer drink concoction, water, and two granola bars – and felt great; I was able to take in enough calories and felt pretty strong throughout the entire race. The caffeinated shot blocks I added in at Miles 40-50 helped too J    But I didn’t want to start experimenting with all the aid station food, so I only paused long enough for water. And in fact this saved me a lot of time in the end – a lot of faster runners would pass me on the towpath and then I’d catch them at every aid station. One of the pieces of advice I’d read about this race is that since there are SO MANY aid stations (like every 2-4 miles) you need to be strategic about getting in and out because it’s easy to get distracted and lose a lot of time.

Stephanie: I continued to run out the towpath, slipping on the “vest of shame,” worn by runners that didn’t arrive at mile 41.8 by 3pm, onto the last 8 miles on asphalt, and toward the mile 46 aid station, toward Ray, but barely stopped when I reached it, knowing I was almost there!  I trotted up and down the rolling hills, enjoying the sights of cows and the smells of farm land.  The skies were black when I ran toward the finish line. A man’s voice behind me screamed, “I’m going to get you. Pick it up!” I responded, “Let’s do this!” as I sprinted and leapt to the finish!

Finished!

The JFK 50 Mile was the most challenging race I’ve ever run on so many levels.  The unplanned elements of training and the trails proved to be one of the most exciting aspects.  Ask me in another month if I’d run another again!

Felicity: What an amazing race! My bf Zack, Stephanie's husband Ray, and Flyer Derek C. were a great cheering / photography / handling crew. And it was really fun to have a couple of awesome Flyer ladies to have dinner with the night before and start off the race together. The race itself was incredibly well organized, great volunteers, beautiful course – would definitely recommend the JFK50. 

Julie:  One of the things I love most about running ultras is the “small town” feel they have, even in one as big as the JFK 50. The start in the middle of town was so cool. One potential mistake I made was to jog the entire 2 miles up the road before the entrance to the Appalachian Trail. I hadn’t studied the map well enough to know about this part, and it kind of went against my idea to walk all the hills. Who knows if it cost me any time later in the race, but something to consider if I ever run it again. The most physically trying part of the race for me was the trail, as it also beat up my quads and ankles pretty badly. I also fell three times (fortunately on soft leaves) and turned my ankle once. I’ve never been so glad to get off a mountain! 

I found the tow path “marathon” to be a mental challenge, due to its flat tediousness. I was actually looking forward to the hills of the last 8 miles, so I could have an excuse to walk again! I passed the time talking to various folks and “being in the moment” as much as possible, not thinking about what was still to come. I even started to name some of the folks whom I kept seeing, like the “most colorful man” wearing fluorescent green/yellow attire. He turned out to be named Les and was a New Yorker as well, as I found out after the race. The last 8 miles through scenic farmland was really a “run/walk” in the park, as by that time I knew it was all over but the crying (which I did with 1.5 miles to go…getting choked up and tearfully thanking the aid station volunteers). I even managed to “sprint” to the finish (at least it felt that way…although I probably was going like 4 mph at that point!).

"Thanks" Brightroom for  Lettting me "Borrow"
This Teensy Little Pic -- Yes, That's Me, Julie W,
Waving and Smiling on the Trail :)

Due to concerns about stomach issues, my nutrition for race day was far simpler than Stephanie’s:  I ate a banana, a packet of almond butter, and two hard boiled eggs two hours before the race and followed this up with two packets of UCan 30 minutes prior to the start. During the race, I took in a total of 3 packets of UCan, 5 gels, and two packets of almond butter. My energy felt great, and my stomach gave me no issues. I also felt mentally strong the whole time…no ups and downs. 

Immediately after finishing, I had a recovery drink called Mike’s Mix and managed to choke down a slice of pizza before being accosted by Stephanie carrying pizza, a burrito, a Twinkie (where did they find those?), and a HoHo. Proof of her ironclad stomach can be seen in our finisher photo…notice the pizza crust still clutched in her left hand. 

I also felt this race was the most challenging I have run to date, at least physically. The variety of terrain, while nice mentally, takes its toll. And while I easily beat the time cutoffs, that little voice in my head never stopped reminding me that they were there (or maybe I was just hearing things due to lack of calorie intake!). Additionally, this was the most prestigious ultra I have ever run and I felt honored to have been a part of it, particularly in its 50th year! 

On the bus back to the start to pick up my “soccer van,” I sat next to an elderly man who had run the race 21 times…what an inspiration! And I also chatted with some folks who are planning to run the Western States 100, which has been on my bucket list for a while. You don’t have to wait a month to ask me if I will run another ultra…I already have 4, possibly 5 planned for next year, including my first 100 miler! I’m also so happy that I got to share this experience with Stephanie and Felicity…they made me very proud!

Blogmaster's Other Note:  Steph, Felicity and Julie were too modest to include their incredible race result times in their write-ups, but if you're curious and want to be impressed on how fast they chugged up and down and around and along this 50-mile rugged route, you should click HERE.

-Stephanie T, with Felicity L and Julie W

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Yoga For Runners

Stephanie T

When I started training for my first marathon nearly five years ago, I would rarely stretch after a run, let alone take a yoga class. I thought that stretching was unnecessary—my leg muscles always felt tight and sore post-run, so why spend time stretching in an attempt to loosen them when they would tighten after my next run anyway?

I discovered the importance of yoga the hard way when I suffered from sharp shooting pains near my groin only three weeks before the New York City Marathon in 2008 from a pulled groin. A groin pull occurs when the adductors, or muscles in the inner thigh, are stretched beyond their limits.  Such an injury often results in small muscle tears that cause pain and swelling.

After weeks of R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression and elevation) and taking a break from running altogether, my groin pains magically subsided before race day.  However, I learned that increasing one’s flexibility, muscle strength and core stability, thereby correcting muscular imbalance, are imperative to injury prevention.

As endurance sports coach, Sage Rountree, author of The Runner's Guide to Yoga (April 2012) writes in Runner’s World:

“Running injuries come from imbalance. Occasionally it’s a literal imbalance, as in the case of a fall on the trail; yoga’s balancing poses can help there. But usually the injury is one of muscular imbalance between the quads and the hamstrings, the hip flexors and the glutes, or the legs and the core. Yoga poses work to correct these imbalances so that the whole body functions at an optimal level. Beyond that, yoga gives us tools to tune in to our body’s needs, so that we can find the right balance between training and rest. This is key for preventing overtraining and burnout.”

The practice of yoga helps us increase our awareness of alignment, range of motion, breath control, agility, flexibility and strength, which will help us continue to run long and hard for years to come.

My perspective on yoga has certainly changed dramatically since 2008—I’ve delved into my yoga practice, received my 200 hour yoga teacher certification, and opened my own yoga studio, Sacred Sounds Yoga, in Greenwich Village. 

The following are a few of my favorite yoga poses for runners:

Calves: Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Core: Crow Pose (Bakasana)

Hamstrings: Wide-Legged Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Hips: Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

IT Band: Pigeon Pose(Eka Pada Kapotasana)

Plantar Fascia: Hero Pose, Tucked Toes (Virasana)

-Stephanie T.

Blogmaster's Note: Sacred Sounds Yoga (Stephanie T's studio) is offering two workshops ($20 for one and $35 if you sign up for both) dedicated to runners to be held at her studio on Sunday, October 14^th:

• ChiRunning with NY Flyer Joel Matalon (click here for his website) from 11:30-1:00pm; and 
• Yoga for Runners with Narisara Vanichanan from 1:30-3:00pm. 

For more information on classes and workshops at Stephanie's studio, please click HERE .

And for prior NY Flyers Blog entries on yoga for runners, please click HERE.

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