NEW YORK CITY MARATHON Nov. 2

November 2nd is the New York City Marathon!

I'm trained and ready.

Number 22263 - Wave 2 - Blue start - one of 39,000. Check out the official website www.nycmarathon.com for more information.

Thanks for the support. Stay tuned for updates.

yellow jackets

My friend Andy called me at work today to wish me luck in the marathon on Sunday. I feel overwhelmed, and very fortunate to have so much support. Andy and I used to work together and both share a passion for the outdoors. The fact that we were differing speeds didn't prevent us from "running together" we would just run the opposite direction and look for each other to high five as we passed when we ran the trail in the mornings. We would ask each other the day before which direction we were going to run in and if we didn't see the other on the trail that morning we gave each other grief at work, but for the most part it consisted of, "did you see that heron this morning?" or "wasn't the fog across the water amazing?" Having shared experiences makes those experiences more real and much more brilliant. Looking forward to the marathon I'm excited to have the support of all those around me. I absolutely used the support in the Ironman and will carry those kind thoughts and support with me as I wind through the five buroughs in pursuit of my goal.

"You'll feel like you're going to die

but you are not going to die, remember that. Trust me, every time mile twenty-three comes around no matter how much I've trained I feel like I'm going to die, but you are not going to and you need to know that. It's all mental. Each marathon when I finish I recovery quickly and then wish I had gone faster at the end." This was the advice from one of the runners in the ship of fools group-Allen, who is a three-hour marathoner. His valued advice is another piece I'm going to take with me when I race next Sunday.

The loneliness of the long distance runner

The book, movie, and song The loneliness of the long distance runner (middle distance in the B&S song) talks about running as solitary. "It's a treat being a long-distance runner out in the world by yourself ... Sometimes I think that I've never been so free as during that couple of hours when I'm trotting up the path out of the gates and turning by the bare-faced, big-bellied oak tree at the lane end." I do enjoy using running as a place for solace, reflection, and a place to sort out details on my own and I do enjoy running on my own. It is also something I enjoy sharing with others like a pride of lions working together to achieve a common goal. Running with Al's ship of fools pushes me and at the same time takes away the aspect of loneliness-each person there knows ... Running with friends is a time to share our goals and set new ones. It somehow feels more real when you share it with someone else. Did I just run 20 miles? Did you just see that? Running with others gives it validity - not always needed but being of the human race often preferred.

Training for New York I've had a "long distance" partner. My cousin J-R (pictured after running the Staten Island half with a seven mile warmup) and I have been putting our hat in the NY Marathon pool for quite a few years and this year we are running it together. We had many a training run in New York when I lived there, and we talked about running the marathon together some day and that day is near. It's been fun to hear how his runs have been. "Today I'm running from Grand Central Station home." or "I ran repeats of the park." It has been a virtual partnership this go round checking up on each other. Come November 2nd we hope to carry each other along to reach the goals we have set for ourselves. Sunday November 2nd we will be part of a large pride 40,000 strong stomping through the five boroughs of New York working for a common goal, make that 40,001 as one of my running buddies here will help pace us in NY. So solitary; without company; companionless we will not be come NYC. Not to mention the many people who have supported us along the way and will be there on race day to cheer us on physically and virtually.

On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.

That is the line that the fox says to the prince in The Little Prince. It means "One cannot see well except with the heart, the essential is invisible to the eyes." I thought of The Little Prince as I ran yesterday and was transfixed by the full moon lighting my way. Yesterday I talked about how running fast made my heart race and how great that felt. Today I decided to run fast again and thought about things and how the heart is essential. Running fast begins on the inside. I remembered what Gilbert said about running for pure joy and fixated on that and as darkness began to fall on my run there were moments were I literally closed my eyes and just felt myself taking off-a rocket ship to the moon.

speeding motorcycle

Last night I ran and I ran fast, why, because it felt good. Now fast is all relative and you can feel like you are going fast only to have someone pass you and realize you aren't going as fast as they are, but for me - I was going fast and I like it. I chased down the person ahead of me, I chased down the biker tootling down the road in front of me and I ran to feel my heart race like a speeding motorcycle - vroom!!!

I get chills thinking about hugels

Back in college I used to put Post-Its around the house the said "I love hills!" I figured maybe with positive thinking the hardest part of my runs would become exciting challenges, opportunities to make me stronger. This weekend was the last over twenty mile run before marathon day and I was looking forward to that. Training has taught me, that I'm strong enough to face any challenging day at least a moderate pace so my training day anxieties have lessened somewhat. That's somewhat (believe me they are intense). The New York Time just had an article recently on the importance of relaxing before races and how this helps performance. I think a lot of it is the unknown and training helps calm those nerves. You know you've done it many times before and you just need to put one foot in front of the other, simple as that. Matt gave me the usual directive of get sleep, no clubbing, and be there at 6:15. Does clubbing at your house count? Well I have to say it does relax me. I went into Saturday's run knowing the route was up to Matt and as we started out I realized we were heading toward the hills. Matt started talking about a bike race that covers all the largest hills in Austin (tour de Hugel) and how what we were about to go up was the steepest grade (25%) GREAT I LOVE HILLS - right?! Right - I know they will only make me stronger and I trudged up the best way I knew how, and to my surprise didn't feel that bad, and what a view! We ran up Ladera Norte and then headed over to Mt. Bonnell where we stretched at the top. I wasn't too excited about running up 2222 for a bit, but it was alright and worth the reward at the top of the hill. Twenty miles later and my legs were tired, but not as much as I expected and my cardo felt good. Not only did the hills strengthen me physically, but they also strengthened me mentally. Less than three weeks to go and the view from my long run is good.

lend me your ear

There is an area of my regular run that reminds me of a Roman theater. It is hardly on the same scale but has stone seating in a semi-circle. I've never seen anyone using it and often wonder why it was placed there. Located along the creek and nestled by greenbelt overgrowth, I constantly daydream of its use. Yesterday I went for a run and as I came from under thirty-fifth street I saw someone sitting among the stones with his bike propped against a tree. As I came closer I saw he was holding a ukulele and then I heard him singing gently. He had a beautiful voice and as I ran I thought what a treat it was to be sung to as I went along my way the sun setting with a cool breeze blowing and a soft voice wafting over me like the waves of the ocean on a beach. The rest of my run home was with a lighter step as the mariposas in my stomach lifted me up and carried me the rest of the way from the mysterious ukulele playing man at the theater with no name.

Good Times

Saturday I met up with Al's Ship of Fools to at least start off the fifteen I needed to do that day. Gretchen joined me. We started at a slowish pace due to some knee trouble that we didn't want to test too much. After the first water stop under the Mopac bridge, where Allen joined the two of us, we started to pick up the pace. I wonder if it had something to do with the conversation. Sometimes when you have conversations when you run you can lose yourself in that and your legs move to their own beat, not so bad I'd say. Well these legs were determined to keep up with Gretch and Allen. I never felt like I pushed to hard, my breathing was regular and not labored. It was just a longer stride that I'm trying to get myself a little more used to and what better time with good company who push me? We finished the ten mile loop in record time for me and then Gretch and I ran the last bit somewhat slower, I felt great knowing I felt faster and indeed the clock showed it. It was definitely good times that morning.

The Crazy Lady

"Oh, you're the crazy one." Gilbert Tuhabonye said to me my first day joining one of his groups for the run. "I looked at him with a red face that wasn't from running. "What did Susan say you said when I asked where you were on Monday." He asked. "I said I was chopping at my thighs running on Shoal Creek." I responded. "Oh yes," he said "you're crazy. That made me laugh." I ended up running faster than I thought I could on the track yesterday and so maybe the craziness is paying off?!!!

When I rode bikes with Robby that night - I got the same thing from him. He called it an addiction. I denied it, then thought about it and said "you know you're right I am addicted to it." Of course we were on Great Northern and the straight away that I love to fly down. The feeling when you get going fast down that straight away is intense, even before you get going. The sounds of the chain slipping into the big ring is like the bar of a roller coaster coming down on you. It is the signal of what is to come. You can feel the burning in your legs but at the same time the exhilaration of going as fast as you can under your own power wind whistling around you breathing rhythmic counting off, sometimes other cyclists on your tail. I am addicted.

Twenty-one miles and some microphones

ACL Fest was last weekend and I had a long run planned for that same weekend-what's a girl to do? Why both of course. I figured I would be better off doing my long run before all the fest activities started so I convinced Matt to run with me and under his strict orders of "I'm not going to run with you unless you a) go to bed early b) wake up early enough to eat something c) and NO CLUBBING.

We set off at 6:30. Matt made sure we kept a good pace and we chatted all the while we ran. Half way through the run, I saw someone waving their hands ahead of us. "Do you know them I ask Matt," as I couldn't clearly see who it was. As they got closer I realized it was KB and Nathan doing their long run before ACL as well. It was nice to see a friendly face on the run. We kept on reached the water stop at 1st street where Matt ran into Colin and set up a run for the next day. We kept on and at about mile 15 my knee started hurting so we stopped for me to stretch out for bit. That seemed to do the trick. The rest of the way home I felt pretty good and all in all had a great run. I know it seems silly, but it flew by and Matt said that was the fastest we had gone yet, but also an easier route than we usually do.