See Adrienne Run: 11:06

What's All This Then?

Greetings!

This blog has run its course, as it were. Actually three courses, but don't let that stop you from reading. Here's the skinny: I dedicated most of 2008 to running and fundraising for cancer research. On June 1, I ran the San Diego Rock n' Rock marathon. On June 21 I ran a half marathon in Anchorage, Alaska. Both of these feats were tackled with the coaching and support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, for which I raised $5,725. The final challenge was the New York City marathon on Nov. 2. This time I trained with "Fred's team" on behalf of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where I was treated successfully for Hodgkins lymphoma five years ago. I raised another $3240 (maybe more).

It was a banner year in many ways. I celebrated 5 years of health. I raised a lot of money. I earned a Team in Training triple crown for completing a triathlon, century bike ride and marathon. I was featured on a show about three first time runners in the NYC marathon, aired on NBC in New York. And ....

You can read all about my journey in sneakers below. And remember:
"A journey of 26.2 miles begins with a single shlep."

(For the back story, check out the Sept. 29th entry.)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

11:06

I ran the fastest mile I've ever run, and the thing is, I think I could have gone faster. (The photo was taken just before I started running.) I looked down at my watch at the half-mile mark and it was 4:45, which sort of blew me away. I didn't maintain that pace, but it gave me hope. My first timed mile was 11:06. I was trying to break 11 minutes for the second mile, and I felt really strong, as if I was running faster, but my watch said otherwise: 11:24. It was too dark to read my watch at quarter-mile intervals, so I tried to judge my time by how I felt. Apparently that's harder than I thought it would be. I tried to adjust and increase my effort to a sustainable rate to run as consistently as possible. I'm sure I'll get better with practice. If anything slowed me down, it was my breathing. I felt as if I was gasping for air. That means that I was breathing from my chest, not my abdomen.

The test was on a stretch of the lower loop in Central Park, starting near Tavern on the Green and ending a bit short of the 72nd Street transverse. There's a gradual incline after you round the southeast corner. I felt it, but it wasn't too much of an issue. (My time on the Williamsburg bridge seems to be helping.) I ran hard and strong and I felt good. The coaches said I looked good, but they say that to everyone. It's their job.

This being New York, there were some New York moments, too. As noted, I was running in Central Park, and so one must share the road with hansom cabs. I tried not to consider it a race against the horses, but I used their trot to pace myself a bit. If I could hear too much of the driver's spiel, I knew I needed to give it some gas.

Then there were the bicyclists and other runners. At that hour, there are no cars on the road, so you'd think space wouldn't be too much of a problem. You would be wrong. There's always a game of uncle. I refused to yield to a covey of runners who insisted on running straight at me as if I wasn't there. I was NOT going to be pushed to the middle where piles of horseshit dotted the road. I held my ground.

As of today, I have run more than 80 miles--and one of those miles was 11:06.

Un-flipping-believable.

Today: 3.4
Miles to date: 81.80