HAPPY NEW YEAR & RECAP OF 2008, THE YEAR I BECAME A RUNNER

First, I want to start this blog by saying that I mailed my application for the Long Island Marathon today. There is no turning back I will be running the Long Island Marathon on May 3rd:) Training starts Monday, January 5th, also the day the kids go back to school. Convenient, YES!!!

Though I never really wrote them down, my 2008 goals were as follows:
- Join NYRR’s
- Run at least 9 NYRR qualifying races
- Volunteer at 1 NYRR race
- Qualify for the NYC 2009 Marathon
- Mileage – I didn’t specify a mileage goal for this year
- Lose 15 pounds by 12/31/08
- Take things slow & steady & stay injury free
- Train by Heartrate, and who cares if you run slow at first
- Do not do any speed work or hill work this year
- Use the races in place of speed work

What was accomplished in 2008:

- I officially became a member of NYRR on Jan 1, 2008

- I actually ran 10 NYRR qualifying races in 2008 and 2 local races for a total of 12 races!

- I volunteered at the 10K mini race, and met Deena Kastor – Way cool

- It’s official, October 12, 2008 I qualified for the 2009 NYC Marathon

- I lost a total of 16 pounds since I started running on January 2, 2008, but then gained 4 back over nov/dec. Need to run consistently!

- I had a total of 176 runs

- Total runs run outside were = 133

- Total runs run on the TM were = 43

- Total mileage for 2008 = 760.99

- With no speed work and no hill work I increased my speed from 9:48 to 8:22 for the 4 mile

- For the most part, I stayed injury free


A breakdown of all my runs by month:
Jan – 9 runs no races
Feb – 19 runs no races
Mar – 19 runs 1 race
Apr – 18 runs (13 outside, 5 TM) 1 race
May – 19 runs (16 outside, 3 TM) 2 races
Jun – 15 runs (9 outside, 6 TM) 1 race, 1 volunteer
Jul – 13 runs (9 outside, 4 TM) 3 races
Aug – 14 runs (10 outside, 4 TM) no races
Sep – 10 runs (5 outside, 5 TM) 2 races
Oct – 11 runs (5 outside, 6 TM) 1 race
Nov – 20 runs (16 outside, 4 TM) 1 race
Dec – 9 runs (3 outside, 6 TM) no races

Overall I am thrilled with what I set out to do & with what I accomplished in 2008. Bring on 2009. As some of you know, 9 is my favorite number, hence wanting to complete the NYC marathon in 2009


GOALS FOR 2009
- Run two marathons (Long Island on 5/3 & NYC on 11/1)

- Stick to MY plan, don’t let the ego get in the way, and don’t miss a run!!!

- Run a few races, not as many as last year, to prepare me for the Marathons

- Run 2,009 miles for 2009

- Qualify for Boston (I know ambitious yes, but why not try out of the gate. If I don’t make it, I sure will still have a fantastic time trying and will be thrilled being a “Just Finish” marathoner

- Lose about 10 pounds. (In 2008 I went from 130 to 114, but over the holidays crept back up to 118 I think being 5’4”, I can handle being 108 lbs. The BMI calendar says Normal is between 18-25), and being 108 lbs puts me at 18.5! But the weight obviously isn’t an issue, I want to become more tone for sure, but I just don’t want to gain!! As long as I am running I don’t tend to gain, it’s when I get lazy and skip a run, or can’t find babysitting when the kids aren’t in school

- Incorporate more Cross Training and Stretching/Yoga into my training!

- Be more consistent with my running in 2009!!!

- Drink more water & eat healthier (be better about Nutrition)

- Complete the 100 pushup challenge (I am currently in Week 4 doing them modified) I want to complete the program by the end of the year doing REAL pushups!!

- Complete the 200 situp challenge, which was just created to complement the 100 pushup challenge. This will be a serious challenge to me as my core is seriously lackingL LOL

I don't know what 2009 has in store for me, but I am ready to embark on the new journey! I originally said that my Boston qualifier time was 4 hrs, a pace of 9:09, which would be awesome for 2009, but I was on the site a few weeks ago, and I noticed my age group (40-44, I will be 44 when I run my marathons: Long Island is not a qualifier, NYC is:) qualifying time is 3:50, which is a 8:46 pace. Not sure if they changed it, or if my eyes were playing tricks on me, as wishful thinking. LOL I am a little bummed about it, but I am not going to lose sleep over it. I still plan to train for breaking 4 hours, at a 9:09 pace, and depending on how race day goes, adjust accordingly to maybe getting that 3:50 qualifying time.

Well, this post has gotten way longer than I intended. I hope I can look back on this post on 12/31/09 and find that I accomplished as much in 2009, that I did in 2008!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! & may you all reach your goals of 2009!!

11 MONTHS SINCE I STARTED RUNNING, TODAY IS THE 2008 NYC MARATHON, AND OTHER STUFF

Today marks the 11 month anniversary of when I started running, in that time frame I have gotten outside (111 times) or on the treadmill (31 times) for a total of 142 runs, and I have run a total of 632.6 miles. Not bad considering when I started, I did the C25K program, and thought I would die jogging 2 minutes walking 3 minutes, or whatever it was. LOL. Today is also the day of the 2008 NYC Marathon (good luck to all running, especially John B, and Jeanie T!!). I am so excited for you guys, I know you are going to do great. I’ll be there next year with you!!!

A recap of what I have done since I started my journey back on January 2, 2008:

- with 11 months of running, also came 16 lbs lost

- I completed all of my races needed, and my volunteering, to be guaranteed entry for NEXT years 2009 NYC Marathon they are as follows, if you wish, you can click on the race name and be brought to the actual race report:

- March 9, 2008 – Colon Cancer Run 4M – 39:14 (9:48 pace)

- April 20, 2008 – Adidas Run 4M – 34:21 (8:35 pace)

- May 11, 2008 – Mother’s Day 4M – 33:29 (8:22 pace)

- May 17, 2008 – Healthy Kidney 10K – 55:29 (8:56 pace)

- June 7, 2008 – Volunteered at the 10K Mini Race

- June 15, 2008 – Father’s Day 5M – 43:47 (8:45 pace)

- July 12, 2008 – Park to Park 10K – 54:38 (8:48 pace)

- July 19, 2008 – Run for CP 4M – 33:38 (8:24 pace) missed PR by 8seconds

- Sept 14, 2008 – Queens Half Marathon – 2:01:30 (9:16 pace)

- Oct 12, 2008 – Staten Island Half Marathon – 1:57:36 (8:58 pace)


I also set competitive goals for each race for MYSELF, to PR, if I could each time. I was able to accomplish a PR in every NYRR race, except one, and I came pretty darn close in that one too, missed it by 8 seconds. LOL

Another highlight of this running journey for me is that it got my hubby/BR411 running as well. Though we don’t get to run much together, when we do I really enjoy those runs. And I am so excited that he is planning to run the Long Island Half Marathon on May 3, 2009. Though I am now contemplating running the Full Marathon that day, as it is a flat course, would give me Marathon experience going into NYC (exactly 6 mths later). Any thoughts/suggestions from any/all experience bloggers is greatly appreciated. I think it is doable, as NYC is 6 mths later, and the LI half is flat. I know I have set my sights on a strong finish for NYC, at beating 4 hours, hopefully running it in 9:09 pace, so my thinking is that if I have a Marathon in my pocket, my goals of NYC might have a better chance. Plus, the Long Island half is practically in my back door.

I will be running one more NYRR race this year, on November 16th, the Race to Deliver, and I am so happy BR411 will be coming into NYC to run it with me. My competitiveness wants to try to make a PR, but I promise you BR411 I will run with you and we will cross the finish line hand in hand:)!!!

Well, today is the 2008 NYC marathon, I am so psyched. My training officially starts tomorrow!!! 363 days till I WILL BE RUNNING THIS RACE!!!! Let the games begin, the motivation stay high, and everyone run strong and taper!!!!

I could not have done any of the above without the support and help of my fellow bloggers. Thank you!!!