On I went, out of the wood, passing the man leading without knowing I was going to do so. Flip-flap, flip-flap, jog-trot, jog-trot, curnchslap-crunchslap, across the middle of a broad field again, rhythmically running in my greyhound effortless fashion, knowing I had won the race though it wasn't half over, won it if I wanted it, could go on for ten or fifteen or twenty miles if I had to and drop dead at the finish of it, which would be the same, in the end, as living an honest life like the governor wanted me to. -Alan Sillitoe, "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"

Friday, July 30, 2010

Week in review: NYCM training week 4

Let me ask you something: is it too much to ask that I look like this at the end of a run?  Is it too much to ask that I be smiling, lovely, and grateful when I finish a run, instead of sweaty, surly, and exhausted?  Maybe the weather up in New Brunswick was better last weekend then it was here (probably).  Or maybe I need to start wearing those little briefs to run (probably not).  Either way, this is Tizita Bogale after taking first in the IAAF World Junior Championships for running a 4:08.06 1500m.

Me, my personal best for 1500m was decidedly slower than that this week.  Here's what I did:

Friday: lovely lovely rest.
Saturday: 4m at the Queens half.
Sunday: 10 long, hard, frustrating miles, punctuated only briefly by running into a friend (also running) in Central Park.
Monday: REST. And 40 minutes on the elliptical, but mostly rest.  Of course, the first nice weather we've had in ages, and my legs are mushy!
Tuesday: 5m with 10x100m strides.  Much better this go-round than the last time. Kind of fun, actually.  Except for swerving out of the way of dead rats on the path, but...
Wednesday: 5m on a treadmill in the middle of the day. Stupid treadmill.
Thursday: 6.5m on a treadmill in the evening. Jersey Shore was on, but that doesn't mitigate against how much I hate the treadmill.

30.5m.  Not bad, but the miles weren't as strong as I would have liked.

I will avenge that Queens half, I've decided.  I'm signed up for the Bronx half in a few weeks.  It promises to be just as hot with just as little shade.

But that's not all!  In a fit of craziness, I registered for two other races:
-"Battle of Brooklyn" 10m (I tend to race well in Prospect Park - fingers crossed that holds)
-Sgt. Keith A. Ferguson 5k across the Brooklyn Bridge (I like a shorter race!)

I'm contemplating doing something EVEN STUPIDER this weekend and registering for the Flying Monkey.  I'll let you know what I decide come Monday (unless I get shut-out, that is - nobody go and take my spot, okay? unless you're my friend (do it, GBN!) in which case it will be cool to meet up there so please go and register).
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10 comments:

  1. MichaelFri Jul 30, 08:36:00 AM EDT

    WOW, that Flying Monkey race sounds wonderful!!!! But it's 2 weeks after NYC!!! Scary to me, but more power to you!!!

    (Seems I can't write without exclamation points this morning, go figure.)

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  2. TFri Jul 30, 08:44:00 AM EDT

    It's dumb - VERY dumb! - of me to sign up for another marathon two weeks after NYCM. But, the race director is someone I know, I'm going to be in the area for a conference anyway, and evidently I made a "I will finish slower than you will" bet with another friend that I'm being held to - so NYCM will actually help me win that bet :)

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  3. MichaelFri Jul 30, 09:02:00 AM EDT

    I say, go for it! It looks really wonderful and would be such a different race than NYCM.

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  4. AlissaFri Jul 30, 11:30:00 AM EDT

    I strolled in from Kate's blog.

    Great job on the running. I've gotten myself up to 5 miles, then got sick. I was working toward a 1/2 marathon and now it's too late! There's always next year!

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  5. TFri Jul 30, 11:40:00 AM EDT

    Welcome, Alissa! Great job with 5m and that sucks that you got sick. Hope you're feeling better now, and you'll do that half marathon before you know it. Trust me, I know all about setbacks and things that keep you from running...

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  6. Majo TinocoFri Jul 30, 11:40:00 AM EDT

    Yay for Battle of Brooklyn! I'm doing that one. The Brooklyn Bridge 5k sounds like fun too, but Flying Monkey? Woah! Wow! Right between two.

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  7. MikeFri Jul 30, 12:43:00 PM EDT

    Peer pressure. Nice.

    Good job on the mileage this week.

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  8. TFri Jul 30, 05:44:00 PM EDT

    But is the peer pressure working? We'll find out Monday, I guess.

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  9. UnknownFri Jul 30, 08:50:00 PM EDT

    Flying Monkey sounds kind of scary. Seriously.

    See you in Da Bronx!

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  10. TrentSat Jul 31, 04:58:00 PM EDT

    The Flying Monkey is stupid. And groovy. It is groovy stupid. Or is that stupid groovy. Hard to know. I do know that it would not surprise me if we fill up within just a few hours tomorrow morning though, so do not tarry. Oh: hi Tracy!

    - Monkey Trent

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