This weekend, I'm heading back to Pennsylvania to participate in the Runner's World Festival in Bethlehem, PA. The festival offers three races; a 5k and 10k on Saturday followed by a half marathon on Sunday. I've decided to participate in all three (the organizers have dubbed this "the Hat Trick").
The series of races now will be good practice for the Goofy Challenge in January. I'm not running with any time goals this weekend. My plan is to take everything slowly so that I can complete all of the races with minimal pain.
All of the races start near the old Bethlehem Steel Stacks, once dubbed the Joker's Lair by comedy rock band Axis of Awesome. The races then travel around various parts of Bethlehem before ending at the steel stacks. There courses are somewhat hilly, and I expect it to be a challenging weekend with some fairly nice courses.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Race Recap: Grete's Great Gallop
Grete's Great Gallop, a half marathon in Central Park, began at 10:30 AM yesterday. The late start made the morning easy (no 5am wakeup for this one). The course was different from most other Central Park races that I've run. It started on the east side and went clockwise around the park, rather than counter-clockwise as usual. We ran ran just over two laps around the park finishing on the west side. This means during the race, runners passed the finish line twice before actually passing over it.
The first lap around the park wasn't so bad, the race leaders finished as I was passing the finish line for the second time. They weren't even twice as fast as me (since they had a 3 minute head start)! It was weird to run the "wrong" way around the park. The hills that I usually dread were now the easy parts of the course, while the opposite happened with bits of the course that I normally look forward to.
It was cool during the first lap of the race, especially when there was breeze. However, once the sun came out it warmed up. I was a bit overdressed for the sunny conditions! Next time, I should wear layers.
I kept a fairly steady pace throughout the race, with mile times between 9:00 - 9:30. By mile 9 I thought I could finish in under 2 hours but I had slower miles after that as my hamstrings really started to hurt. I finished in 2:05, so I'm still chasing a sub 2 hour half marathon.
Alek also ran this one finishing in 2:15:08. Full results are available on the NYRR site.
The start line!
The first lap around the park wasn't so bad, the race leaders finished as I was passing the finish line for the second time. They weren't even twice as fast as me (since they had a 3 minute head start)! It was weird to run the "wrong" way around the park. The hills that I usually dread were now the easy parts of the course, while the opposite happened with bits of the course that I normally look forward to.
It was cool during the first lap of the race, especially when there was breeze. However, once the sun came out it warmed up. I was a bit overdressed for the sunny conditions! Next time, I should wear layers.
I kept a fairly steady pace throughout the race, with mile times between 9:00 - 9:30. By mile 9 I thought I could finish in under 2 hours but I had slower miles after that as my hamstrings really started to hurt. I finished in 2:05, so I'm still chasing a sub 2 hour half marathon.
Alek also ran this one finishing in 2:15:08. Full results are available on the NYRR site.
We finished (only a little sore).
Friday, October 12, 2012
Sunday: Grete's Great Gallop
This weekend is another double race weekend. I already mentioned that I'll be running the NY Rock N' Roll 10k tomorrow. Additionally on Sunday I'll run Grete's Great Gallop, a half marathon celebrating the life of the late Grete Waits, a nine time winner of the NYC Marathon. The 2 lap course around central park for this half marathon won't be as fun as some other races, but it will get me one race closer to my NYRR 9+1 to qualify for the 2013 NYC Marathon.
I missed the Diva Half Marathon last weekend because we got back late from a wedding and decided to sleep in. That means I have an unused half marathon playlist that I can use for Sunday's race. Who knows, maybe I'll finally break a 2 hour half marathon (if my hip holds out).
Stay tuned next week for two race recaps!
I missed the Diva Half Marathon last weekend because we got back late from a wedding and decided to sleep in. That means I have an unused half marathon playlist that I can use for Sunday's race. Who knows, maybe I'll finally break a 2 hour half marathon (if my hip holds out).
Stay tuned next week for two race recaps!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Playlist: Rock n' Roll NY 10k
Saturday I'll run the Rock N' Roll 10k in Brooklyn's Prospect Park! With my hip nearly recovered, I don't expect to miss this race like I missed the previous two. In honor of the race being held in Brooklyn, my playlist contains songs from artists who have lived in Brooklyn.
While the Rock N' Roll series does have on course entertainment, I found it to be more sparse than I would prefer when I ran Rock N' Roll St Pete back in February. It's fun but I prefer continuously hearing music. Spacing the entertainment out every mile doesn't do it.
The list is 59 minutes long. I want to take the 10k slow so I don't aggravate my hip again, so 59 should be a good time.
Still Alive GLaDOS & Jonathan Coulton
Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) Neil Diamond
Hit Me With Your Best Shot Pat Benatar
I Wanna Be Sedated The Ramones
Telephone Lady GaGa & Beyoncé
Clint Eastwood Gorillaz
No Sleep Till Brooklyn Beastie Boys
Poker Face Lady GaGa
Monday, October 8, 2012
Benefits of Sports Massage
Running can cause tightness and soreness in certain muscle groups. I've been dealing with this in my hip for the past couple of months. One great way to relieve the issue is sports massage. You can tell the massage therapist exactly what bothers you and they will focus the massage on that area. In addition to giving a deep tissue massage, the massage therapist will help to stretch very tight muscles.
While you can get a deep tissue massage on your own by foam rolling or using products like "the stick", the handiwork of a professional always feels better. The therapist may also recommend stretches or home exercise to help with tightness or soreness. I go for monthly massages. Since my hip has been bothering me, my therapist recommended I use lacrosse balls to massage the hip area. This has worked well, the hip area is bony and difficult to foam roll or get at with "the stick" but the lacrosse balls are the perfect size.
If you're sore from running, I strongly recommend sports massage!
While you can get a deep tissue massage on your own by foam rolling or using products like "the stick", the handiwork of a professional always feels better. The therapist may also recommend stretches or home exercise to help with tightness or soreness. I go for monthly massages. Since my hip has been bothering me, my therapist recommended I use lacrosse balls to massage the hip area. This has worked well, the hip area is bony and difficult to foam roll or get at with "the stick" but the lacrosse balls are the perfect size.
If you're sore from running, I strongly recommend sports massage!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Baltimore Running
Before coming to Baltimore, I tried to do some research into where I could run safely in the area. I'd been to the Inner Harbor before and thought that the area along the waterfront would be safe, but I had been planning a 6 mile run while here so running around the harbor wouldn't be enough.
My hotel, the Hyatt Regency, gave a suggested running route, but it had several warnings about safety so I wasn't sure I wanted to go it alone. I mentioned my reservations to a colleague who is also at the conference and we decided to try out the route together.
Overall it turned out to be a good run. We went 6.6 miles, starting at the waterfront and then running down to Fort McHenry. The waterfront and area around the fort were pretty. The areas between were mostly residential with a few higher traffic roads. I was glad to have a running buddy on this run, since I wasn't familiar with the area. She brought her phone along so we were able to check Google Maps when we weren't exactly sure where to go.
Its often so easy to make excuses not to run while travelling, but I was really happy to get one run in while in Baltimore! Below is the route we too (not exactly the same as that suggested by the hotel). We were a little slow because of some slow changing stoplights along the way.
My hotel, the Hyatt Regency, gave a suggested running route, but it had several warnings about safety so I wasn't sure I wanted to go it alone. I mentioned my reservations to a colleague who is also at the conference and we decided to try out the route together.
Overall it turned out to be a good run. We went 6.6 miles, starting at the waterfront and then running down to Fort McHenry. The waterfront and area around the fort were pretty. The areas between were mostly residential with a few higher traffic roads. I was glad to have a running buddy on this run, since I wasn't familiar with the area. She brought her phone along so we were able to check Google Maps when we weren't exactly sure where to go.
Its often so easy to make excuses not to run while travelling, but I was really happy to get one run in while in Baltimore! Below is the route we too (not exactly the same as that suggested by the hotel). We were a little slow because of some slow changing stoplights along the way.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Playlist: Long Island Diva's Half
On Sunday I'm running the Divas Half Marathon in Long Island. This will be my first women's half marathon, and it has great timing as I'll be spending the next three days in Baltimore at the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing! With the rest of my week being about celebrating and empowering women, I created a playlist filled with songs from some of my favorite musical divas!
The playlist is about 2:20. I had previously been hoping to beat my previous half marathon record of 2:03:27 at this race but with recent hip pain I don't know if that will be possible.
It's All Coming Back to Me Now Céline Dion
No more drama Mary J Blige
Irreplaceable Beyoncé
Karma Alicia Keys
Total Eclipse of the Heart Bonnie Tyler
Rolling in the Deep Adele
I Heard It Through the Grapevine Gladys Knight & the Pips
Respect Aretha Franklin
Alone Heart
I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor
What's Love Got to Do With It Tina Turner
Poker Face Lady GaGa
Awful Hole
Man! I Feel Like a Woman! Shania Twain
Girls Just Want to Have Fun Cyndi Lauper
I'm Every Woman Whitney Houston
Glamorous Fergie
Firework Katy Perry
Telephone (feat. Beyoncé) Lady GaGa
Dirrty (feat. Redman) Christina Aguilera
On the Floor (CCW Radio Mix) Jennifer Lopez
Hips Don't Lie (featuring Wyclef Jean) Shakira
Crocodile Rock Elton John
Drumming Song Florence + The Machine
Bad Romance Lady GaGa
Everlasting Love Gloria Estefan
Like a Prayer Madonna
The Sweet Escape (feat. Akon) Gwen Stefani
You Can't Hurry Love The Supremes
Believe Cher Believe
All for You Janet Jackson
All This And Heaven Too Florence & The Machine
Material Girl Madonna
I Say a Little Prayer Dionne Warwick
Dreamlover Mariah Carey
Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That Dolly Parton
The playlist is about 2:20. I had previously been hoping to beat my previous half marathon record of 2:03:27 at this race but with recent hip pain I don't know if that will be possible.
It's All Coming Back to Me Now Céline Dion
No more drama Mary J Blige
Irreplaceable Beyoncé
Karma Alicia Keys
Total Eclipse of the Heart Bonnie Tyler
Rolling in the Deep Adele
I Heard It Through the Grapevine Gladys Knight & the Pips
Respect Aretha Franklin
Alone Heart
I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor
What's Love Got to Do With It Tina Turner
Poker Face Lady GaGa
Awful Hole
Man! I Feel Like a Woman! Shania Twain
Girls Just Want to Have Fun Cyndi Lauper
I'm Every Woman Whitney Houston
Glamorous Fergie
Firework Katy Perry
Telephone (feat. Beyoncé) Lady GaGa
Dirrty (feat. Redman) Christina Aguilera
On the Floor (CCW Radio Mix) Jennifer Lopez
Hips Don't Lie (featuring Wyclef Jean) Shakira
Crocodile Rock Elton John
Drumming Song Florence + The Machine
Bad Romance Lady GaGa
Everlasting Love Gloria Estefan
Like a Prayer Madonna
The Sweet Escape (feat. Akon) Gwen Stefani
You Can't Hurry Love The Supremes
Believe Cher Believe
All for You Janet Jackson
All This And Heaven Too Florence & The Machine
Material Girl Madonna
I Say a Little Prayer Dionne Warwick
Dreamlover Mariah Carey
Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That Dolly Parton
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