Saturday, June 30, 2012

Training for the ING NYCM Raising Funds for Covenant House

So, I finally felt that switch go off inside my legs.  Yep, I heard it click. It was the switch where I knew I could move from recovery runs to training runs. No way am I fully recovered from the Ann Arbor Marathon, but I am feeling the insatiable burn to run.  So, yep, I"m going to declare July 1 as the beginning of my Ing NYCM training. (Yeah, I know, it's only June 30th.)

I've been foam rolling every day, eating healthy protein, and I've also started taking Liquid Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM.  When I first started taking Glucosamine, I did notice a difference, and word is that the liquid is more effective so, even if it is a shot of Placebo, I'm all for it.  I'm also taking 200 mg of CoQ10.


My first real run after the marathon felt great but resulted in a near collapse from the heat.  I was feeling pretty studly to run in the 95 degree weather where most folks stay inside. Despite plenty of water breaks at the high school track, after a couple of miles, my head got woozy and it felt as if I was running on a small boat instead of steady land.  I closed one eye while I ran to help me focus, and I imagined what a collapse would do to my head should it smash the pavement, and wondered how long I would lay there before I was found. Nobody was in sight.

So, I took a break in the shade, and then ran back home to finish my run on the basement treadmill.  My ten miler today will begin and end there.

I am running the New York City Marathon to raise funds for Covenant House, and thanks to some very generous folks,  I've raised nearly $4,000 of my $6,000 goal. The importance of raising funds for Covenant house struck home after I read the search words used to reach my blog.  The phrase "I am 17 and I ran away can I go to covenant house" lead straight to my blog.

 I immediately did a backstory in my brain and imagined the person who wrote this, and can only suspect they found the contact numbers needed to help them.  Yes, they can go to Covenant House, and in fact, often times Covenant House can come get them.

My training and actual marathon will be easy compared to what life has now thrown their way, and it's great to know there's agencies out there who can help. I can't wait to go to New York and meet the rest of the fund raising team.

As for my running of the NYCM, I do know I want to run faster than Ann Arbor, but I have no idea what time goal to go for. If  I understand Bostons qualifying process right, the times are good for 2 years, so that I could run a 3:25 and qualify for the 2014 Boston Marathon.  Problem there is, the event takes place the Monday after Easter, and I can't see sacrificing an easter weekend with 2 young kids for Boston. Well, actually, I could see it, I just don't they they could see it.

So, I am going to ballpark 3:30 and let my legs and training decide, but I do know that I don't  want to have one of those races where success depends on a certain time.

I've had too many of those events where I've set myself up by making a time goal the only important thing, mostly driven by a desire for a Boston Qualifier.  They can be so triumphant but also a set up for disappointment.  I'm feeling lately like my new goals are as much as the level of high I can feel during an event as much as what the clock says when I finish. Sure, pushing myself is part of what I enjoy, but not at the risk of letting the results spoil the process. And to be motivated by facing hardships, such as those whose lives have lead them to the doors or Covenant house, will be part of my yardstick to measure success.  I will be writing thank you letters to those who supported me with donations in my head along the way.

And darn it,  I had fully expected New York to be flat and fast like Chicago, but after looking, I see this is not the case.

I just discovered the site, The Daily Mile, so hope to track my training program here.  If you see it, don't expect to be impressed. It's nothing like those running beasts you see if you travel the blogosphere. But I do believe that training logs are great to look back at and see how far you've come, what changes may have helped, may have hurt, and I love to look at them before a race to remind me how many kick ass workouts I have done.

So, taking into account a three week taper, I'm looking at July 1 to October 14 to train myself into something worthy of what I expect will be a magnificent running event for an essential cause.



2 comments:

Cait the Arty Runnerchick said...

i think i heard that switch from the legs go off all the way over here too. ;) jk. glad that the resume to running is feeling good and u're already steely focused on getting that time come NYC. now i kno the course isn't pancake flat but i've had friends run it there and come away with some speedy times...i think we can chalk it up to the environment, enthusiasm, and when u step to the line often times u're he##-bent on a goal...i think u'll get that time man! :)
PS- i totally understand turning the comments off, but i wanted to really commend u on that HUGE sobriety benchmark of ur's.

Cami Checketts said...

You are amazing! Hope all the training and fundraising goes well. Good luck!
I posted a review of Jade Running on my blog - http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com/2012/07/jade-rabbit-by-mark-matthews.html
Thanks for sharing the book with me,
Cami

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