Pajama Run 2017

The Pajama Romp is a tradition for me: run Vermont 100 a week prior, destroy my body, and then run this 6 hour timed race a week later. The course is just over a mile (I think something like 1.27 miles) loop around Astoria Park. There are two hills, nothing crazy, but an opportunity for a walk break at the end. The race is scheduled 5pm-11pm, not my best time for running, but an interesting time for people watching.

I was not feeling that great, and it probably didn't help matters much that I did a tough core yoga class at 730am, and then Deep House Yoga at noon. Oh, and I rode my bike about 18 miles earlier in the day.

My plan was simple: run the first hour hard, and then see what I felt like. The first hour was hard and I ran quite well. I ran with Elliot, and then, he took off after an hour. I felt better at a slower pace.

But then I felt crappy. My plan was to try to catch up to a friend that I had lapped earlier and then walk and run with them....that never happened.

The last hour or so, Alicia caught up to me. She is a tough runner, and we had some nice chats.

The race was ridiculously hot with some random periods of rain. And then, the last few minutes, it began to rain harder.

After we heard the whistle, we headed back to tell our lap splits. I grabbed my stuff to change in the bathroom, and then found Wayne. It was pouring now. This sucked.

I asked Bomina to pick up my trophy and then hopped into the car to go home to take a hot shower and sleep.

TGNY 100k 2017

TGNY100 is something you have to do. The race is pretty legendary and once you run it, you realize how epic it is, and you’re a lifer.

I decided to just do the 100k. I had various reasons, but when it came down to it, I’m glad I did just the 100k. (Can we say chafing due to a pantiliner? Start crying now.)

The morning was overcast and not as hot as it has been lately, so perfect for a run. I started out having to pee, and this year, the McDonald’s in Times Square locked their bathroom. So at some early point in Central Park, I ducked into the bushes and peed. Lovely. And again.

I was running with different people, and then up close to the GWB, I spotted the port-a-potties I’ve used in the past. Okay,, NOW I WAS BETTER.

We ran through Van Cortlandt. Through Soundview Park in the Bronx, and others before it. When I looked at my watch and saw it was still morning, I smiled. How much had happened in my morning. How much there was to go.

I survived the Triboro Bridge, which is saying a lot. That bridge terrifies me. In Astoria, I fueled up and headed off….and it soon began to rain. A little, and then it was a steady drizzle. I was running with Carl from Texas, and it was kind of ridiculous. We’d look at each other and say, “Maybe it will stop soon, I think it’s clearing up….” and it would continue to pour.

At mile 50, Jen came along and I stopped to pee under a tree. The rain had mostly stopped by this point. But now, it was becoming quite clear how out of shape I was. And how bad the chafing was.

I began walking a lot more. Jen and I hung out, caught up. It was fun. It was like hanging out with a friend versus running a race.

Jen joined me in pigging out at aid stations, oversharing about our lives, and being a great friend.

I finished at 100k and was mixed at being done...but ultimately knew it was the best decision.

An Indian Comes to NYC....and Runs the Brooklyn Half with Me and Our Own Unofficial Full

I met Ash last year when I went to India, and he immediately became my best friend in India. So when I invited him to our wedding, of course I was excited when he bought his tickets (and then immediately began planning where we could go running and where to go eat...Ash is like me, running and eating are his favorite things (though maybe I like eating a little more?)).

After he arrived on Friday, we took him to Anella for dinner. We ate dinner in the garden and even though it was 90F, he thought it was cooler, compared to Chennai, which has been having a heat wave with temperatures near 110 F. Ugh. Living in a place with tons of alcohol restrictions, he requested someplace with beer. He was happy.

We ran the Brooklyn Half. I've been feeling pretty out of shape, but still somehow managed to crank out a 1:37. Not bad considering the effort didn't tax me too much.

The Brooklyn Half is a lot of waiting, but it's actually a lot of fun. My running club had over 400 people in it so it was a lot of waving and chatting and having fun. And then Ash needed to have a Nathan's hot dogs, so there were some lines for that, then lines for the subway, blah blah blah. Still, it was a fun day and felt nice to be back.

The next day, we got up early. Luckily Ash was super jet lagged and I'm used to getting up stupid early, so we were fine. We ran down to Dumbo, me pointing out every little thing on the way. Then we got on the Brooklyn Bridge. We chatted until in the middle I began panicking....w my fear of the Brooklyn Bridge. Ash thought I was joking when I forced him to stop taking photos and grab my hand. We ran across the bridge hand-in-hand until the cement part, and then I sent him back to take photos (and try to regain my dignity).

Ash said it best: "you run over mountains, yet you're afraid of a bridge?!" oh shush.

We ran around the bottom of Manhattan, stopping in one of the worst port-a-potties ever (Hey, I was hydrated!) and then up along the Hudson. On 59th Street, we ran east until we hit the park, and then did a loop of Central Park. We ran into ultra runner Andy Jones Wilkens. Ash was in heaven, and then we ran back home via the 59th Street Bridge. Ash's assessment of the bridge: "It looks beautiful from afar, but not when you're on it."

We were at just about a marathon, and we ate Ash's first NYC bagel with cream cheese. Felt like it was def a NYC ultrarunning weekend.

Shape Women's Half in Central Park

I thought I needed something faster so I signed up for the Shape Half Marathon in Central Park, put on by NYRR. However, I'm an idiot and signed up for the Sybil Luddington 50k. Oh well.

This was def a training run. My legs were tired from the 50k, so I could barely push. I had a goal of sub 2 hours, and I did make it. But my legs were dead, heavy, lead, tired. Ugh.

I happened to see Karen in my corral - she was not at her peak, and we ended up running almost the entire thing together. I picked it up the last mile, and oops, lost her a bit. But it was fun and we met at the finish line after.

This race was a women's only race, looping Central Park. So there are the hills we know so well, which aren't really that awful. But the signs....the idea that you now deserve brunch with a mimosa because you ran a half. It left me with a yucky feeling. Karen was like, "I'm gonna have brunch and a mimosa whether I run or not." It was very pink...and pink is my fave color.

Still, for $75 we got a medal and a sub to Shape mag. Ah well. And an experience of running a half marathon with lots of other women.

The time limit is higher than other races....which means you get a lot more walkers, which is great and I love the energy...but it makes for late race passing quite difficult.

I biked home, ate more food, taught yoga, and ate. I WAS BACK RUNNING - and oh so glad!

RUN COMMUTE!!!!

Backpack Review: Trail 20 by Salomon

Since I've been run commuting a lot lately, I decided to get a bigger backpack for my runs. Running home usually requires a bag just big enough to store my outfit for the day, but running there requires space for work clothes, toiletries, towel, snacks, phone, work iPad, even snacks.

I bought the Salomon Trail 20 - I was mainly attracted by the large amount of space. Last week, I ran to work with way too many things - clothes, down jacket, jewelry, a thermos of oatmeal, a carton of yogurt, a muffin, a clementine, basically, the world. My back was so tired. When I got to work, I weighed myself. I was 13 or 14 more pounds than I normally was - that is how heavy my bag was.

But it held it all.

The waist clasps in two sections. I wish it would let it get a little tighter. One side has an open pocket. I've stored things like pens, sunglasses, iPods/headphones, gloves, hats, tissues, Kind bars, etc. Nothing has ever fallen out, but at the same time, you probably don't want to put something precious there. The other side has a zippered pocket. I usually keep my work ID, my metro card, my phone, and a zippered pouch of jewelry (paranoid I'll lose my grandma's jewelry if it is stored elsewhere.

The bag itself just really has one big compartment. There is a sleeve where I stick my Kindle and any papers, with a little pocket on the outside of that (where I have been putting my wallet). Then, it goes rather deep. You can really fit a lot more than you'd think. Sometimes, I'm doing the backpack version of sucking in your breath to zipper a dress. Only once did it pop open.

There is also a clasp along the chest. To counteract shifting and bouncing, I pulled this strap lower in the middle/below my chest, which is not super comfortable, but better than the bag bouncing.

​There are two large mesh pockets on the outside. I typically stuff plastic bags (for sweaty running clothes) and a thin tote bag in here. Sometimes I also shove the majority of my towel (and it stays that way until I get to work and pull it out). Once, I even ran with a thermos of chai. They are surprisingly sturdy, but I expect that through time, they'll become stretched out. But for the past three months, they've been pretty sturdy.

They don't have bungee cords like a lot of bags. I actually miss this quite often. (On my other packs, I tend to keep a safety pin on the straps, and then I can shove clothing, pin it in, and not worry about losing it.) This is one of the main negatives.

The other negative is that this doesn't exactly fit my frame. I am on the smaller side (in dress sizes in the US, I usually wear a 2 or a 4) - I have a narrow frame and short torso.​ This bag bounces and shifts. Because I got the bag in the winter, I didn't notice it quite so much as I had more layers on. Now, as summer is approaching, it's more noticeable and not so comfortable. 

I generally wash it fairly often - it doesn't hold the stink too much, but last week, when I ran four days in a row, I was fine wearing it home from work in a dress, but definitely washed it as soon as I got home.

Would I recommend this? If you have a slightly wider frame (I'm not talking fat even - more if you have broader shoulders than I do), you would find it more comfortable. While I miss the bungees, the infinite-seeming space in the bag is appreciated. And the mesh pockets are great.

For trail running or longer runs, this could definite accommodate a bladder. 

Bombay, Bombay

So when people say, "Bombay," the generally mean "Mumbai," but none of my friends, not those that live there or elsewhere in India say Mumbai. Every time I did, they'd gently correct me, "Oh yes, in Bombay, they do have amazing restaurants." 

So Bombay.

I only had a super short visit here, but I planned on doing as much as I could.

I arrived at night, and basically, checked into my room and crashed. Or that was my intention. Instead, I arrived there, and room number one was noisy and the lock was broken on the door. Room number two smelled like cigarettes. Room number three I just accepted. The chain was broken, but the deadbolt worked, and they upgraded me to a fancy suite for my trouble. Oh well.

I crashed out completely, then woke up a few hours later to meet Amit for a run. The head of Unived, India's first running nutrition company, he's super friendly and interesting. His wife Monica, who I also met last visit, was in America for a visit. He complained of being sore and I told him how my goals were not to poop in my shorts, and we ended up running slow and easy and relaxing. We followed our run with some walking, and then got some coconut water to drink straight out to the coconut. Nothing more refreshing....

Then a shower (obviously) and food...And I went off to a yoga class. It was a fantastic traditional hatha class. I went to YogaCara last time I was in Bandra, and loved it. The teachers are excellent. It was probably one of the best classes I had been to: discussion and questioning and asana and the teacher was great. Ganesh is phenomenal, and so is Radhika.

After, I hopped in a taxi across to go to Colaba. I ended up buying a zillion more bangles that I had no business buying, and went to a bookstore to try to find a book I've been dying to read that I can't find in the US. No luck. 

Hopped back into a taxi and went back to Bandra....ahhh....had a quick shower in my room, dumped off my stuff, then got in a tuktuk to head over to Juhu to the ISKCON temple. Here I was at home, chanting, "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama." After chanting and watching for a while, a monk began chatting me up. He spoke excellent English and knew the Bhakti Center and was a student of Rahadnath Swami. We began talking abt his book and it was a pretty interesting conversation. He gave me some pamphlets and books and his email address (yes, Krishna monks have email addresses).

I had dinner after the buffet opened and the food was much more than I wanted, but pretty good. I needed less than normal because I had been so hungry that I indulged in two samosas before. Yum.

Another tuktuk back to my room....repack my bags, shower again, and omg, I have to leave for the airport in a few hours.

I slept fitfully and got up too early - and was off to a journey back home!

My heart feels like a part of it will always be in India. I know it's not for everyone, but it's for me, and I truly love it. I want to go back before I've even gone. And I constantly say, "Next time I'm in India...."

OOTY!!!

After a taxi, a wait, and a plane, I arrived at Coimbatore. I saw Ash almost as soon as I got off the plane - his flight had arrived a few minutes before mine. We had an excited hug in the airport, and I was excited to see that he had brought almost as much stuff as me. Ah, runners and their gear.

I hadn't packed as much stuff, because I didn't REALLY look at the weather until I was in Lonavla. Ash brought me a jacket and some extra long-sleeved shirts.

Coimbatore was hot. Humid. Ahhhh, India. I was melting already. We stopped by a friend's running shop, and it was cool to geek out and see all the Indian runners. The running community in India is SO incredibly welcoming and I would never have connected so much with India if it hadn't been for the runners. They are my favorite people.

We got food, and I'm proud to say we basically ate cheese for lunch. (File this under: reasons why I love Ash.) Then we drove to Ooty. I had it in my head that it was 30 minutes or so. Add 2 plus hours to that.

Still, it was fine. We caught up, laughed. I told him all about my yoga course and my job and then we got to our room. I was pretty tired after my long day (getting up at something stupid like 2am because of jet lag and an early flight) and then we just went out to eat, someplace "continental." I had actually been hoping for good Indian food - I had been so sick of all the boring ashram food, but this was amazing regardless.

The next few days were a blur. We drove around to different places - lakes, mountaintops, went running (my stomach was a wreck so the running was greatly reduced, sob sob), bought tea, ate paneer, watched running movies. It was just like hanging out with your best friend, only your best friend lives in another country, so you just chill and drink tea and talk.

I have to admit: I had a lump in my throat saying goodbye to Ash. He invited me in to his home and family and shared with me so much. If he lived closer, we would def hang out and run all the time. Now, I have to settle with rare occasions and WhatsApp.

Conference House 6 Hour Race Report: Timed Races in the Freezing Cold Are Actually Fun

The Conference House 6 Hour Race was 32 miles of cold, sunshine, and friendship.  

I usually run a BUS race but whenever I can, but this time, I had my favorite yoga class that I teach: my Sunday Flow & Restore at Awakening. I usually include readings, meditation, sometimes pranayama - we open with short meditation, warmup, flow, and then totally melt into restorative poses. And I'll skip the class on occasion, but really didn't want to on this particular week. So I found this random 6 hour and signed up, despite having almost zero info.

I convinced my friend Jill to drive down from Rhode Island and run with me. She was struggling with a return/nonreturn to ultrarunning after a break (and ultimately, decided to take another break). I was worried about my tendon flaring up, and my training has been pretty minimal because of it.

NYC has been pretty mild this autumn. I've been biking everywhere and feeling pretty good about it. Of course, the weather plummets for the start of the race....

I got the start and realized, you idiot, the race is right on the water....which means crazy wind. Jill lent me a stinky windbreaker, which I was grateful for. 

The course was a two-mile loop, primarily easy trails.  The terrain was pretty easy - trails, but nothing technical, one baby hill. There were two port-a-potties next to the course, and we could easily leave drop bags. There were some pretty basic aid stations - they had M&Ms and kisses and pretzels (pretzels, that's all I really ever need) and I think clementines too. But I mainly had eyes for pretzels. They only had water in small bottles, which meant filling up your bottle was rather time-consuming (especially as it wasn't always readily available).

Nearly every time we ran through, the RD and timers would cheer us on. It was a really great feeling. One of the runners had the most amazing wife - she was out there, cheering us on, the entire time, with the kindest of words and a huge smile. The volunteers were great, and I felt like I was running in a small race of neighbors and friends.

The race started and I took off at a decent pace, not pushing too much, but not going too slow. I ended up chatting with this random guy, and we ended up spending the first 10 miles together. The pace was in the 8 minute range the entire time, and I felt good.

But I had decided I was going to run this one slow, for various reasons. I told Jill I'd run with her, and she tried to dissuade me. "I'm too slow. You won't want to run that slow." But I figured I'd run until I caught up with her (lapped) and then finish with her.

After 10 good miles, I passed her. I used the bathroom and then waited at the bottom of the little hill for her to reach me - and then it was like 22 miles of easy fun. 

Ultrarunning is more like hanging out with your friends sometimes than racing. Like, Jill and I could go out and drink wine and talk - but it was also pretty much the same as when we were running (except we complained about Jill's period and my stomach or whatever). Oh, and it was freezing, and I doubt I'd drink wine if I was freezing. Aren't you supposed to drink whiskey in the cold???

We finished. There were no partial loops, and we finished without enough time to go out and do another loop. That was fine. I got my plaque, I got my 50k coin (32 miles), and I got some pizza.

Jill and I headed back, and I questioned my sanity as to why I had avoided heat for the past six hours. But I felt so good - so amazing in that "this is why I love doing it" way.

OMG: Last-minute running-a-marathon tips

This is adapted from the North Brooklyn Runners workshop from the 24th of October, where we shared our ideas on how to prep for the marathon. As the Educational Member Program Coordinator, I provided framework and ideas; everyone also shared their own great tips. While this is geared towards the NYC Marathon, you can apply many of the tips to any marathon. Ultras break all the rules, so many of them won't apply...unless, of course, they do!

BEFORE THE MARATHON
Last minute tapering...

• You can't cram in all the last minute training. These last two weeks, it's about maintaining your fitness and resting. Don't try anything new, don't exhaust yourself in workouts.
• Add in a bit of speed if you can - but nothing you won't recover from.
• Your mileage should be cut way down - 1/3 of peak to even 1/4 of peak. Less is best.
• If you haven't trained properly, tell yourself that undertraining is better than overtraining, because with overtraining you risk injury. 

Nutrition

• Eat normal food, nothing out of control new.
• Old school carb deprive/carb load is out. 
• You don't want to carb load w too many carbs. Sorry, you really don't need to eat 18 bagels.
• Low fiber the day before. If you have stomach issues, pay attention to the fiber you eat. I know a runner who (no joke) does a liquid diet the day before races because of her stomach issues. (Sounds miserable to me, but she swears by it).
• No beets the day before. No. Just no.

Marathon Expo

• Try to go earlier so you don't tire yourself out.
• Buy new clothes/gear is okay; using it race day might not be a great idea.
• Usually cheap place to buy gels - but so is Amazon Pantry. You pay $6 for a box and you fill it w goods. But don't buy new snacks to try marathon day. No new clothing or shoes for race day!

The Night Before

• Remember - Daylight Savings - fall behind!
• Set as many alarms as you possibly can. 
• Try to get lots of sleep all week long - it will make up if you don't sleep well the night before the race.
• You should have been hydrating all day long (and all week long really) but stop drinking an hour or two before bedtime. You don't want to wake up to pee 12x.
• If you can't sleep, try to relax. Meditate, rest as well as you can, maybe even read (but nothing too stressful....like, don't read articles about the current state of politics in the US).

MARATHON DAY
Breakfast and Coffee

• Only have coffee if you know it works. (Coffee makes you poop.)
• Low fiber breakfast - no more than 9 grams of fiber.
• Hydrate - but maybe stop drinking an hour or so before you get on the bridge.
• Hydration and coffee make it easier to poop.
• A little bit of protein for breakfast w your carbs - some examples - peanut butter on toast or bagel; banana pancakes (Don't those sound delicious?); maybe even maple pecan oatmeal (small portion); smoothie.

At Fort Wadsworth

• Stay warm. Bring throw-away clothes to stay warm. Hideous is fine, as long as it's warm.
• Keep your bib on the bottom layer.
• They have tea, coffee, bagels, bars, but don't try anything you haven't had before.
• Keep a disposable water bottle to carry with you into your corral.

First Few Miles - Halfway

• Use a pace bracelet (available at the expo) to keep track of your pace.
• Try to stay even to your pace.
• Don't get too excited too early.
• High fives are fun, but don't waste time high fiving everyone.
• Tell spectators to wear bright clothing or carry a specific balloon or sign - it's HARD to see them, and for them to spot use.
• Tell friends and family to track you with the app.
• If someone love you, they can see you three times - by Atlantic Terminal, go onto 1st ave up in the 90s, then go to 5th ave to see you one more time before they meet you at the finish.
• Set mini-goals (vs. "I have to run 12 more miles, shoot me...."): the next water stop, the crowds at 1st Avenue; seeing my BFF at mile 20; that huge TV screen in the Bronx; etc.
• Grab your cup - pinch it twice if you can.
• If someone wants to cheer for you, tell them chances are, you might be choking on water right after the aid station, so they shouldn't wait right there.

The Wall

• Get your calories in early - 100-300 calories is recommended every hour. Most people take a gel every 45 minutes or so (and take it with water).
• Regular nutrition can help prevent the wall. If you start to bonk, liquid nutrition (gels are great bc they're more calories than Gatorade) will be absorbed faster - and thus help you climb out faster.
• Send a friend to the Bronx - helps to have someone to look forward to.
• Set a goal - running in honor of a family member or friend - it's easier to dig deep for someone else than yourself. (I ran in honor of my Uncle Jimmy who died of leukemia; seeing all of the TNT peeps meant a lot to me that year he died.)

The Finish

• Last mile feels like forever - but the crowds at the bottom of the park ROCK.
• Don't look at your watch at the finish - it will ruin your finishing photo (and how can you get your photo on the bus then??). The will have your exact time online by the time you're ready to look anyway.
• Have your family meet you in the family meeting area.
• If you have a drop bag, add some sandals, socks, complete change of clothes. Also add a tasty snack with some protein if you are picky or if you want something more delicious post race.
• Drink lots of water.
• Change your clothes if you can - or at least get that wet sports bra off.

AFTER THE MARATHON

• Go run the next day. You will hate me for saying it, and it can be the slowest run you've ever done - seriously, 16 minute miles is fine - just get out there and DO IT. You'll get some of that crap out of your muscles and feel better. Then, take off the next week if you really want.
• You will want to eat everything in sight - the next day too. Protein helps with muscle recovery. Try to eat 15-30 minutes after you're done - something w protein.
• Get lots of sleep. You just trashed your body, your immune system is shaky - get lots of sleep.
• The engraving on your medal the next day is pretty freaking cool.
• Pick out your next marathon!!!!

Way Too Long with Morton's Neuroma

Goodbye, Morton's Neuroma. I have struggled with Morton's Neuroma for way too long, months, years. It's been one of the crappiest running injuries I've had, and it seems like it's in the distance now....kind of.

I'm a librarian, so I did tons of research on Morton's Neuromas. Tons. I read the Mayo Health Clinic's website a ton, and Jonathan Savage's page. I posted on my FB page (tons of friends there are runners) and on the Ultra list and another trail running group. Everyone said something different, everyone had their own cures (or not). I emailed Karl Meltzer (sigh....ultrarunning heartthrob!). Here's my story, what worked for you, and what may or may not work for you.

I felt a numbness on and off in my foot for a while. My podiatrist didn't specifically identify it as Morton's Neuroma, but said that I had inflammation and I needed to rest. Haha, very funny, Dr. Morgano. I took anti-inflammatories and stretched and kept going. I noticed that it got waaaay worse with my Altra Intuitions (sob sob because they def were comfy in other ways). It was better on trails, worse on roads. My doctor recommended I switch to Hokas; that helped for a while, but ended up being not enough.

I had a ton of pain from Morton's Neuroma during the Brooklyn Marathon, so much that I went straight home after instead of celebrating w food w Menachem. I didn't know what was going on. It kind of got better. I ran a 50k a few weeks later on trails with no foot pain. Hurrah. And then I did a half marathon in Central Park for NYC Runs and was pretty much limping towards the end. I finished with tears in my eyes. I went to my doctor, and this time, said I needed something more drastic. I was going to Ecuador for a month, and didn't want to deal with pain. He gave me an injection in my foot, during which I screamed and deafened the entire population of Tribecca. Sorry. 

I ran the next day, and yep, pain. Argh. I went away, packing a smaller pair of running sneakers, which was a massive mistake. I had pain a lot - while walking around different cities, on hikes, on the beach. On a trip of a lifetime, all I had was pain. It sucked really bad.

I went back to my doctor after I came back. He told me not to run, and I said I didn't want another injection. I tried venus fly trap extract and serrapeptase. Neither made any kind of significant difference (though I took each for at least a month or two). I said I was supposed to run the Miami Marathon; maybe I should drop to the half? He said the half was even pushing it.

I reduced. I changed shoes. And I ran the half and it sucked. I ran super slow, had tons of pain and went straight into medical when I was done.

I got another injection. I took off two weeks. It got better. But then, it would get worse.

The next five months became hell of experiments. Here are some things I learned that actually help:

• There is no one panacea. Some people swore their neuroma disappeared when they started running in Hokas; others said the same of Altras. Neither worked miracles for me (and my Altras were minimalist so may have contributed to the issue).
• Take time off if it hurts. There's no such things as "running through Morton's Neuroma." It will get worse. And you will be unhappy - and in pain. When it starts to hurt, stop running. Go home.
• Contrast baths (5 min hot, 5 min cold, 5 min hot, 5 min cold) may or may not help.
• Yogatoes really helped alleviate pressure and I find it necessary to wear them pretty much every day.
• Foam cushioning helped tons. I got the super thick foam cushioning moleskin they sell at Rite-aid. I cut a big teardrop, and then before applying, put a layer of benzoin tincture on the foot (it helps things stick better). Then apply. Wrap in Ktape tape so it stays on (literally, for over a week). Your feet are gross when you finally take it off, but this helped me so much.
• Throw out too-tight shoes. They will hurt your feet more. 
• Heels and tight uncomfy dress shoes suck. I worked at home a bunch to take care of my shoes.
• Build back up really slowly. Stick with lots of trails if you can (provided they're not too rocky).
• Take up a new hobby. Keeps your mind off lack of running.

Hey, this is who I am, Runners' World!

After I finished the NYC Marathon in 2013, this photo was snapped. This is my story.

The week prior, I ran 24 Hours the Hard Way, which was the 24 Hours National Championships USATF. I was desperately trying to break 120 miles so I could get a shot at qualifying for the National Team that would go to World Championships. My coach gave me advice, but severe blisters ended up costing me about 45-60 minutes. Medical helped out, but I needed treatment a few times. The blisters were pretty brutal.

I needed 120 to qualify. i ran 115.6 miles. 

I was pretty devastated, but I ended up taking 2nd place for USATF women. I won a check for $750, a neat medal. I stumbled onto the plane after a shower and flew home to New York, feeling pretty destroyed.

Less than a week later, I ran the New York City Marathon.

I tried to run hard, but my legs reminded me, HELLO, you just ran 115.6 miles last week. I stopped to hug friends. I smiled. I absorbed the energy from the streets.

Coming into the finish, something hit me. Cherie, you ran 115.6 miles last week. You were second USATF woman, and who else here can do that, and do what you're doing now? 3:45 - not bad, especially after that effort. You ran your heart off last week, and again this week. 

And I burst into tears that last half mile...that is my story.

RW has my image on an inspirational quote (see above). I am more than just a quote. I am a running body of energy, tears, sweat, passion, and love.

The Great NY 100 Miler Race Report (2014)

Photo by Ben Ko of Sarah, Thunder, and me

"You know how the NYC Marathon is a huge gathering event and excitement event for all runners in NYC? That's what TGNY 100 has become for ultrarunners in NYC," one of the runners told me. So true. Pretty much everyone in NYC was out, either running, volunteering, or pacing. It makes for 100 miles of hanging out with your friends in some really cool places. Okay, and under the Bruckner sucked, but everywhere else was pretty cool.

Otto, Thunder, me - photo by Oh Snapper

I have paced twice and volunteered once, so I knew what to expect for the last 50 miles. I was pretty blown away by how amazing the course was, and how cool it was to see New York City in a very different light.You get to run through all of these parks you didn't even know existed, swamplands, run over bridges, run past cool neighborhoods, and enjoy a very different view of New York City. It's pretty amazing.

The start. Photo by Donna S-T

The race itself is put on by American 48-hour record holder Phil McCarthy. One of the nicest guys, it's an honor to run this race.

The course is a lot of fun, and Phil really thought things out as he designed the course. You start and finish in Times Square, which is pretty neat, and the course goes through a lot of parks, bike paths, and neat streets, so it's actually a lot cooler than it sounds.

The negatives - you have to wait for street lights. There's a hideous section where you run under the Bruckner. Aid stations are water and gatorade, and anything else the volunteers buy out of their own pockets (Most of them really did have stuff.). There are turn-by-turn sheets that can be a tad confusing at signs, although some sections of the course were marked really well. (The first 100k was marked quite well.)

But the positives far outweigh the negatives.

Start of TGNY, photo by Grant McKeown

We started out of Times Square, and ended up running north in Central Park. Although it was 5am, it was still somewhat bright, and it was really exciting and everyone was in high spirits. Yay. Then you emerge from the park, running north, snaking over until you are running alongside the Hudson. You run north, north, north. Everyone was joking, laughing, and walking the hills. Yay.

We crossed over the Henry Hudson Bridge, which I did not like. We tried to yell to a group that we had noticed went off course, but they didn't hear us. After we got off the bridge, we were in the Bronx.

We ran through Van Cortlandt Park, which Phil had marked quite well with flour. We almost went off course once, but one of us noticed the slight turn and we ran through the park, enjoying it. There was a group of us, laughing, talking, finding our way, following our way.
 

Ray and I, mile 31. Thanks for the grub and photo, Emmy Stocker!

Orchard Beach was awesome. I had never been there before. You ran out 2 miles and when we got there, I felt silly. I had a random woman take our photo, and Ray (a newbie 100miler who finished in 29 hours) tried to explain what we were doing and she just didn't get it. I was excited to be on the beach.

Photo by Grant McKeown, returning from Orchard Beach

We waved as we ran past a bunch of guys in the Bronx smoking weed. We got slightly off course. We ran under the Bruckner, which sucked. The Triboro was a little scary but we survived. On Randall's Island, I began to get excited. Soon I would see Menachem, my first pacer (and my friend). I found a port-a-potty, which was nice to not drip dry. We hit up part two of the Triboro. 

Just after the Triboro - thanks to Kino for the photo. Look at Menachem's "fancy" running attire white undershirt & gym shorts from high school, literally.

A few blocks after we got off was the aid station and Menachem. I probably horrified him as I shoveled as many Girl Scout cookies and chips and Gatorade into my mouth as fast as I could. It was his first time at an ultra and I'm surprised I didn't scare him. He's still signed up to do the Burning Man 50k!

We took off running, and laughing. I began to get hot, really hot, really really hot. Ray and Menachem began discussing physics and my brain felt fried. I poured water on my head as I slogged behind them. We ran near LGA and the planes were close and we ran by a sulfur-smelling swamp. We got to an aid station where I picked up Melissa Woods, next pacer.

I began to feel better. We ran through a sprinkler in a park. We walked. I tried to get my focus back. Melissa took photos of the houses in the neighborhood for her friend. I welcomed the distractions and the conversations.

Ray and I shared Vaseline for our chafed bits. Only at an ultra do these things happen...

Photo by Ben Ko

We entered Alley Pond Park, I was feeling a little more clear headed. Menachem said goodbye as I shoveled down oatmeal cookies. He was a really good friend to see me suffering, and to have his awesome sense of humor. I loved it. Melissa was a bundle of energy and an amazing pacer. Ray ran with us, suffering but really in good spirits.

Mile 60 we met Beth and Cortney. They arrived way too early and had to kill time with beer and the World Cup. We ran to the 100k mark, where Trishul asked me, "Are you going to continue?" Uh, yes. Of course! I took a bite of eggplant parmigiana, Melissa gave me a change of socks, and we took off! I said goodbye to Melissa who was so awesome she was going to work at two aid stations after she left me. THANK YOU!

Beth & Cortney had never paced at a 100 and they were really great - energetic, fun, focused. Cortney was in charge of the directions and she was really great, and I was grateful because my mind was shutting down. Beth on the other hand, was checking out the local scene, noting bars of interest and taking photos. I sucked down an enormous Italian ice and was losing my mind as I lost feeling in my feet.

Broad Channel. Cute houses. Bridges. Cortney navigating. That blister hurt. OMG it hurt. I sucked down gus and my teeth literally ached. Do ultras cause cavities? Ow.

Into the Rockaways. Beth's chatter didn't stop and her and Cortney seemed so sane that I felt like I was probably an alien. We got into mile 71 where I said hello again to Melissa, hugged Wayne, shoveled down food, changed my sneakers to something a half size bigger, and then we took off.

Yes, a large rainbow Italian ice. Oh so refreshing.

Or, we left. My feet were a swollen mess and everything sucked. My mind was a trap and I was stuck in there and I was glad to hear Beth and Cortney dealing with logistics like directions and wasn't that an adorable house and shouldn't we do a summer share down here?

Ray caught up with us as we pulled closer to Riis Beach. At that aid station, they tried to force me to eat. I was hating 100 milers, swearing to never do another one. Seriously, 50 milers are SO much more fun. Why don't I just stick with those? What is wrong with me? Next year I will only do 50s milers...except maybe Umstead and Vermont and Hinson and National 24 Championships and....

I'm an idiot. I'll keep doing 100s.

We crossed the Marine Parkway Bridge. I'm terrified of the bridge and will only either sprint over it and walk clutching someone's hand. We walked uphill and after I was freaked out so much that I couldn't speak, I asked Ray if I could hold his hand. Death grip was more like it. We walked fast. On the top, we began running.

We ran up Flatbush Avenue, which is spooky and feels like forever. And then alongside the Belt, where Wayne goes kitesurfing at Plumb Beach. I saw lots of rabbits and peed in the darkness behind a fence. We kept running.

Then we got into Sheepshead Bay. Beth was like, "WHAT IS THIS? Where are we?" High heels and cologne and fancy cars and clubs and I'm running with a headlamp, looking like a truck ran me over, feeling like it. We got to mile 80 and I said thank you and goodbye to Beth and Cortney and Pete took over.

Poor Pete. I was out of my mind. My pinky toe hated me. I changed into shoes w the toe cut out but I needed to cut out more. We tried to use glass or something to cut it further, but it was pretty bad. I was in agony. We walked fast or ran and I felt horrible. Pete talked abt triathlons, ultras, so many things. He was great.

Along Shore Road, my arch suddenly hurt. I couldn't run. I was almost in tears. I wanted to stop. Was I hurting myself permanently? I hated this. Along the water, there were tons of people fishing, hanging out, smoking weed, drinking beer, running, making out. It was bizarre. NYC is really the city that never sleeps.

Mile 90. "I want to stop. I really hurt my foot." I cried. The awesome volunteers wouldn't take no for an answer. They iced my foot, put moleskin in my shoe, fed me cookies. 

I hobbled out of there. I hated everything. The ten miles were going to feel endless. In Sunset Park, Pete bought me tea. I was falling asleep and tried to drink it. Stay awake, Cherie. Stay awake.

We hobbled. We talked. Wayne drove by the course and said goodnight. I began running. It hurt, but I could do it.

Mile 95. I have never been so happy to see anyone in my life as I was to see the amazing crew at mile 95. A small shot of rum, which was harsher on my belly than I would have thought. Keep going, girl. The Brooklyn Bridge. I hate this bridge now.

And the streets. Run. Run. Run. Run.

And somehow....done.

Me and Pete at the finish; thanks to Annette Vega for photo

I felt like crap, but was overjoyed at the finish. I sat around for a little bit, chatting. And then I was just too tired. I thanked Phil and Pete and everyone else, got my stuff, and fell into a cab. I got home and showered. I was too tired to eat. I just fell into bed with wet hair and woke up 3 hours later, famished. We went out to brunch and I felt surprisingly okay. Really really hungry.

What an amazing race. Thanks to all the volunteers, my awesome pacers, my kickass boyfriend, Phil & Trishul, and everyone else. I love you all.

35th Birthday 50k!

                I always love the idea that your birthday should be your perfect day. Too bad that was not my day this year, but it was still a lot of fun.

                I woke up at 4a.m. and quickly got dressed and ate. Wayne insisted upon giving me a present before I left, and I kissed him goodbye as I headed out on a run.

                I decided to organize a 50k around Manhattan. I had done various sections of doing long runs, even as long as 26 miles last year. I posted it on FB in a few groups that I’m a part of, and on a Meet-up Group for Trail Running and Ultrarunning in New York. I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate my birthday.

                The forecast called for rain, lots of it, and we were not denied. Mary and I ran over the Pulaski in our tutus and took the 7 to 42^nd Street, where we met a bunch of people under scaffolding. I dreaded the rain, and hoped it wouldn’t make things too miserable. Some were good friends, some were running friends, and some were new friends. We all had a lot of fun.

                The plan was to run around Manhattan south, going clockwise around Manhattan. We’d OF COURSE stop at Twin Donut as tradition demands (NYC Ultrarunners always stop at Twin Donut.) and wait for each other and try to keep together as much as we could the entire time.

                I was really excited to see Menachem at the start, who was training for his first ultra (Really, his first race!) of the Burning Man 50k. Everyone chatted and worried about the weather, and we left at 10 after five.

                The idea was to run around a 10 minute pace, but we mostly ran faster. We stopped every few miles – so people could get water, so people could go to the bathroom. Beth joined us by the Staten Island ferry and gave me a very decorated Hammer Gel. Fun.

                Sometime between 14^th Street and 50^th Street, my phone, despite being in a Ziploc bag, got wet and died. This turned out to be the source of my hell – I lost all my photos, including a bunch of photos for a series of articles I had planned on writing. It was stressful and I lost 12 birthday text messages (So whoever you are, whatever you wrote, THANK YOU!) and ended up spending an hour and a half at the Verizon Store in Greenpoint, where they were nice enough to help  me and give me a loaner phone.

                Steven met up with us in the late 30s/early 40s, and had way more energy than us. Everyone took turns running with others, chatting, catching up. It was really fun.

                We made the course a little wrong turn and ran some extra miles, but I just did what Wayne likes to say, “When you see a fork in the road, take it.” (He’s more thinking of food, hahah.)

                We stopped to use the bathroom and a parks worker was cleaning the women’s bathroom. We used the filthy men’s bathroom, where a pair of discarded underwear served as the butt of our jokes. It was a relief to use the bathroom because we were all completely soaked and there’s just something difficult about running in completely soaking wet clothes when you have to pee. We joked with the parks worker, and when she found out it was my birthday, she sang “Happy Birthday” to me and make me plié and dance. I couldn’t stop laughing.

                When running alongside the West Side Highway at one point, we saw cars hitting a giant puddle, causing a tsunami that covered the entire path. There was a deep puddle covering our path, and we were forced to walk on a high curb next to the puddle on the highway, so cars splashed us as we found ourselves stepping in the giant gross puddle. We screamed and laughed and it sounds awful, but it really wasn’t as bad as one would think.

                We headed north and ran through Inwood Park. That part was a little bit tricky, but Rich led us the right way. The park was nice, and a little tricky to navigate. We exited the park on 218^th Street, and everyone cheered at Twin Donut.

Donut time!

                I don’t even like donuts – well, I like them, but they usually make me feel ill after. I got a coconut donut and ate half and it was delicious. Others ate eggs and homefries and toast, and we hung out there a bit too long as we grew cold and dripped large puddles underneath our seats. I fiddled with my phone and fretted over it.

                When we all left, we were shivering and it took us a while to warm up. We entered Harlem River Drive Park, and it was just so nice to be running together.  Then we were on the streets for a long time, which was pretty fun. We stopped so Rich could get a “Tropical Fantasy” drink (I would not call it juice – drink is more like it.) and stretched and laughed. We posed in front of the “Crack is Wack” mural and saw another side of the mural you normally can’t see from the highway.

                As the street numbers grew smaller and smaller, we got excited. We finished on 42^nd and 1^st, cheering in front of the UN!

                It was great to see clean Tommy Pyon and have Skype join us; I had fun running with Chris Solarz and Emi and Mary and Beth and Menachem and Kim and Steve and Rich and Mike and Miguel and it was totally awesome, a wonderful birthday present.

                The rest of the birthday was a little different. I ate, did laundry, showered, fixed my cakes, went out to dinner with my family and Wayne, and then drank champagne and ate lots of cake with my friends.

                Thank you, all. As much as I hate the ageing process (Funny how you couldn’t wait to be older when you were much younger.), I had a beautiful day. 35 does feel different, and I guess I need to focus more on enjoying each and every day instead of thinking of what I could have done. I need to just do it!

               

DIRECTIONS FOR 35^th Birthday 50k:

·         Start at 42^nd St and 1^st Ave

·         Run south down 1^st Avenue until 34^th St; make a left on 34^th St. When you get to the water, go right to run along the water in the East River Park.

·         Run along the water, going around the bottom of Manhattan (Battery Park City) and keep running along the West Side Highway in the park next to the river.

·         When you get very far north (you’ll run around 19.5 miles – this is 1.5 miles past the GWB), go straight on Staff St. Cross over Dyckman and head into the park, going north. Run around the park (it loops around the top of Manhattan), making a right onto W 218^th St.

·         Stop at Twin Donuts. Even if you don’t like donuts, you need to stop. This is where we use the bathroom, eat donuts, & buy beverages.

·         Make a right onto 10^th Avenue.

·         Take 10^th Avenue into Harlem River Park (enter where Dyckman and 10^th meet up)  and run on the bike path through the park.

·         Exit the park at 155^th St. You may need to make a quick left or just go straight (depending on the bath) to run down St. Nicholas Place.

·         St. Nicholas Place merges and becomes St. Nicholas Avenue.

·         Run through St. Nicholas Park 141-128 Streets.

·         Exit the park running down Manhattan Avenue.

·         Make a left on 120^th St.

·         When you get to the water, make a right and run along the East River Parth.

·         Exit the park at 60^th street. Run straight until 1^st Avenue. On 1^st Avenue, make a left.

·         You are done when you hit 42^nd St. YAY!

We plan on running around 10 minute miles, so at any point, try to calculate the mileage and time. See a map here with all of the mile markers: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6324851