Hello again! Well, I am now deep in the throes of training. I will get deeper, but I'm pretty deep. About a month in now, an email was sent out by our coaches, including practical advice on everything from getting sufficient sleep (um, did I mention I'm the mother of a toddler?) to running in the rain (in case you're wondering, the answer is, rain is irrelevant.) Let me just come out and say that if I wasn't feeling intimated before (and, to be honest, I sort of wasn't---sort of) I am now officially freaked out.
Included in this "helpful" guide are four pages of additional workouts to be incorporated into our weekly running program. (A brief aside about the weekly running program---it seems I am supposed to be logging 26 miles each week for the past couple of weeks. I'm getting in about 20, and, up until I received this virtual booklet, I was pretty proud of that fact....)
Back to these four pages detailing additional physical exertion; 15-20 reps of leg curls and leg presses, 20-25 reps of single calf raises, 15-20 reps of hip adductors. Do I even have a hip adductor? The aforementioned are intended to strengthen the leg muscles (funny---I thought the running covered that.) Included also in the list are exercises to strengthen my "core." "Core" is one of those hip fitness words that has been bandied about as of late, particularly among yoga-folk. My understanding of the core is that it has something to do with muscles in the torso area and that, if I had a stronger one, it might involve my being able to sport a six pack. Apparently, this is a rather limited understanding, which I learned when I looked up the definition of "core anatomy"on Wikipedia. "Major muscles included are the pelvic floor muscles, transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae (sacrospinalis) especially the longissimus thoracis, and the diaphragm. Minor core muscles include the latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus, and trapezius." I understood this as "...the pelvic floor muscles, blah blah blah, obliques, rectus (I don't want to understand more than that,) blah blah blah, and the diaphragm. Minor core muscles include the blah." I made the mistake of continuing on to learn what my core muscles are used for. "The core is used to stabilize the thorax and the pelvis during dynamic movement..." Okay--sounds good-- "...and it also provides internal pressure to expel substances (vomit, feces, carbon-laden air, etc.)." Should have stopped at "dynamic movement."
Don't get me wrong. I am all for avoiding collapse on the Marathon route. But if I commit fully to this regimen, there is a fair chance that I won't make it to the starting line.
One step at a time (plus a few hip adductors),
Dayna
I am very grateful for your support of my efforts with Fred's Team. To make a contribution, please go to the following link: (If the link does not open, please cut and paste into your browser.)
http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/daynaisin
Friday, June 24, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
First Group Training Run
This past Saturday morning marked the start of my official NYC Marathon training! I showed up in Central Park promptly at 8am, eager (and somewhat anxious) to meet the other Fred's Teamers with whom I will be enduring those 20-mile long practice runs in a few months time.
Quite a bit of thought went into my planning to attend this run, not the least of which was my wardrobe. As a relative newcomer to the sport, I wanted to present myself as a person who can run (i.e."Please observe my good-quality-but-not-quite-at-the-highest-price-point running shoes") but not a runner (i.e. "I wear only enough lycra to cover my private parts.") Brief digression: An interesting thing with running-- I have found that quite a few people, myself included, are more than a little bashful about calling themselves "runners." I am much more comfortable thinking of myself as one who runs; It feels like less pressure somehow. Perhaps I need to run a marathon to be worthy of the label? Anyway...I chose a comfortable, adequately stylish, moisture-wicking shirt and shorts. Black. No one looks bad in black. The dilemma then was water. I have a tendency to under-hydrate. In a concerted effort to reform this bad habit, I invested in a fuel belt. For those who may be unfamiliar, a fuel belt is an elastic band with a velcro strip that closes at the waist. The band is equipped with four water bottles, two on the front, framing the navel, and two on the back, hovering over each butt cheek. It goes without saying that this contraption is the antithesis of sexy.
When I arrive at 10 to 8, I'm surprised to find 50 some-odd folks ready to run. (I was thinking 10-12, 20 tops.) I'm even more surprised to find that, amongst them, only 1 brave individual confessed to not yet having worked up to the 6 miles that was on the docket that morning. Mind you, I wasn't expecting this to be a group of couch potatoes, but I thought at least a few folks would be starting from square one. Nope. The coaches (who had initially made a public inquiry about our readiness, which is how I learned of the brave individual) were adamant about running at one's own pace. I was happy to hear this, and humbled when I realized that I seemed to be bringing up the rear at about my 11 minute mile trot.
I (not so) quickly do the math. 26.2 miles at 11 minutes a mile is...just under 5 hours. This sounds respectable until I realize that
a.) The likelihood I will be running 11 minute miles at mile marker 2 and mile marker 22 is zero.
and
b.) The likelihood that I will be running at mile marker 22 is zero. (I'm aiming for any forward movement, preferably while vertical.)
It is at this sobering moment that I commit to attending every group training run I can.
As for this past Saturday, I did complete the 6 miles. And thanks to my anti-sexy fuel belt, I didn't even have to stop for water.
One step at a time,
Dayna
I am very grateful for your support of my efforts with Fred's Team. To make a contribution, please go to the following link: (If the link does not open, please cut and paste into your browser.)
http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/daynaisin
Quite a bit of thought went into my planning to attend this run, not the least of which was my wardrobe. As a relative newcomer to the sport, I wanted to present myself as a person who can run (i.e."Please observe my good-quality-but-not-quite-at-the-highest-price-point running shoes") but not a runner (i.e. "I wear only enough lycra to cover my private parts.") Brief digression: An interesting thing with running-- I have found that quite a few people, myself included, are more than a little bashful about calling themselves "runners." I am much more comfortable thinking of myself as one who runs; It feels like less pressure somehow. Perhaps I need to run a marathon to be worthy of the label? Anyway...I chose a comfortable, adequately stylish, moisture-wicking shirt and shorts. Black. No one looks bad in black. The dilemma then was water. I have a tendency to under-hydrate. In a concerted effort to reform this bad habit, I invested in a fuel belt. For those who may be unfamiliar, a fuel belt is an elastic band with a velcro strip that closes at the waist. The band is equipped with four water bottles, two on the front, framing the navel, and two on the back, hovering over each butt cheek. It goes without saying that this contraption is the antithesis of sexy.
When I arrive at 10 to 8, I'm surprised to find 50 some-odd folks ready to run. (I was thinking 10-12, 20 tops.) I'm even more surprised to find that, amongst them, only 1 brave individual confessed to not yet having worked up to the 6 miles that was on the docket that morning. Mind you, I wasn't expecting this to be a group of couch potatoes, but I thought at least a few folks would be starting from square one. Nope. The coaches (who had initially made a public inquiry about our readiness, which is how I learned of the brave individual) were adamant about running at one's own pace. I was happy to hear this, and humbled when I realized that I seemed to be bringing up the rear at about my 11 minute mile trot.
I (not so) quickly do the math. 26.2 miles at 11 minutes a mile is...just under 5 hours. This sounds respectable until I realize that
a.) The likelihood I will be running 11 minute miles at mile marker 2 and mile marker 22 is zero.
and
b.) The likelihood that I will be running at mile marker 22 is zero. (I'm aiming for any forward movement, preferably while vertical.)
It is at this sobering moment that I commit to attending every group training run I can.
As for this past Saturday, I did complete the 6 miles. And thanks to my anti-sexy fuel belt, I didn't even have to stop for water.
One step at a time,
Dayna
I am very grateful for your support of my efforts with Fred's Team. To make a contribution, please go to the following link: (If the link does not open, please cut and paste into your browser.)
http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/daynaisin
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