Abra Goes

45 minutes of the past three sunny days is the total duration my skin was exposed to the sun without protection. Unfortunately, those 45 minutes involved running on the boardwalk in Coney Island during late morning with the sun doing double time bouncing off of the Ocean.

To compensate, I slathered layer upon layer of sunscreen on after. After my shoulders were red and cheeks a burning. Why don’t they make retroactive sunscreen? Why?

Oh well. I pray that RA will have mercy on me this one time.

And note to self: invent running shoes with a little drawer in the heal for storing sunscreen, and keys. And a banana.

And Dear Coney Island,

Why don’t you take better care of the boards on your walk? A Brooklynite for 6 years, I love Coney Island. But the boardwalk along Coney and Brighton Beach just don’t compare to Jersey’s. I felt like I was running hurdles again, boards were loose, sometimes missing, sometimes replaced with cardboard that’s been bolted down, nails were popping out…Then again, the runners on Coney’s boardwalk were tough and could probably step on a nail without much grief. One fellow, older, Russian and running shirtless with sunglasses materialized just as I was starting to walk because the heat was beating me.

‘Don’t stop. Keep going.’ He said so matter-of-factly, no judgement, no sympathy. It’s simple after all: running hurts. It hurts when you run in the heat with the sun in your eyes, but were it not for running, I wouldn’t have been on the boardwalk by the Ocean on a quiet Monday morning as Coney Island rose for another Memorial Day and little boys from the upper West Side got off at the end of the F line and laid eyes on the classy ‘Shoot the Freak’ for the first time and stared in first awe then fear at the wooden Cyclone coaster when grandpa said through a mouth full of Nathan’s hot dog, “We’re gonna ride that later.”

I’ll post the route later today. If you run the whole boardwalk from one end to the other and back, it’s about 5 miles – not a bad run if you hit it early.

MILES UPDATE FOR MAY-

42+/42

Hit my 42 miles, and I’m on track to do 500 in 2008. No major injuries yet!

Cheers to me. I broke 200 miles recently. That’s 200+ miles ran thus far in 2008.

To put it in perspective:

The Earth’s diameter is 8000 miles. So if I run what I’ve already ran this year 40 more times, I’ll have run the earth’s diameter.

Since January, I’ve logged as many miles as two Ultra-marathoners. But I prefer to equate my strides to about 64.5 5ks.

Is it a runner-thing to count miles? Cyclists I know pat themselves on the back when they do 40 miles here, 20 miles there…but I don’t know any who keep a running tally. Perhaps it’s a runner/writer thing? Counting words, counting miles- it means something to the do-er. Assuring there is substance to the ground beneath my feet.

The sum may not reflect the ultimate question of craft that never really stops tapping behind the eyeballs: Am I getting any better?

The sum does report effort. Gives you marks to celebrate and numbers to rattle off when family wonders why you never call.

I was running 200 miles. Hello?

All but 6 of these miles were ran in NYC – Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the handy, boring treadmill. Very little hill training so far, but I am mastering running along the Hudson River without falling in.

There’s something quite satisfying in creating lists, perhaps because it helps you pull all of those fragments, those ‘note to selves’ & scribbles on napkins, into one place. Title your list and print it out and every bullet of intention becomes final – something you are committed to doing if for no better reason than to cross it off the list.

My almost-daily runs afford me the time and patience to massage problems. Even when I’m not consciously trying to come up with a solution, running puts things in perspective so worries get to breathe.

Because of running I: breathe better, eat healthier, get sick less … and write more. The obsessive tendencies of writing are also driving my running. When running, I’m thinking about running- conditioning, finishing marathons, seeing the world on foot- and putting this all into lists.

New-ish runners focused on building endurance ought to try making lists while running. It forces your mind into repetition. I find that my breathing syncs with my body best when my mind is preoccupied. Just don’t fool yourself into delusions of multi-tasking. At the end of the run, most of these lists are useless. The 25 Worst Books I ever read, for instance, did nothing for me.

My list of the moment is vague and open to suggestions. (Hoping to find some great runs mentioned in First Marathons):

Favorite Places To-Run

1. Pacific North West (Haven’t been yet, but I want to run every inch of this region)
2. Grand Canyon (Haven’t been yet, but I will. Oh yes)
3. Jersey Shore (I’ve only ran Ocean City’s so far)
4. Manhattan Waterfront (My favorite paths so far include 125^th down the west side, along the southern tip, and up to the Brooklyn Bridge)
5. Boston through Charles River Park (been here, but haven’t ran it yet)

In less than a month I’m off into a void… losing sleep watching the clock. And it seems like everyone else in the world knows where they’re going.

Running is keeping me sane. It’s not getting me anywhere, but it’s keeping me sane. I’m burning off the nervous energy, which replenishes itself in full each morning. My distance has plateau-ed at about 15-20 miles/ week, for now. Once I get past the turbulence of going from full time employment to freelance, I plan to step up my training and actually follow a program. I’m not sure when it happened, but running is essential.

Pictures from Ocean City are on their way. You know how unreliable these digital cameras are- always late on delivery.

Don’t let a little rain stop you from running.

I ran my first 5k through Riverside park this morning.

Though misty near the Hudson river, it didn’t rain on us, for which I’m thankful. But I was way under-dressed for the chilly morning. We arrived at registration right on time, an hour before the race. It took all of one minute to give our names and get our numbers, leaving an hour to jump up and down and try to stay warm.

Who knew you can check a bag and coat at registration? I arrived in thin pants and a thin hoodie over my running top, holding my metro card and questioning how anyone does these races without bringing any stuff. Now you and I know their dirty check-in secret. Next time I’m checking two bags. And a coat.

Unfortunately, no pictures because none of my bums friends came to run along side me, documenting each stride, frame by frame. My running partner, RC, ran, too. But apparently he’s too uncoordinated to run and photograph me. I’ll have him work on that.

It feels silly to talk about running a 5k, especially as I’m reading First Marathons, edited by Gail Kislevitz, and just finishing Ben Cheever’s Strides. After reading about grueling, exhilarating, lengthy 26.2 mile marathons, 5ks go by fast. I couldn’t believe how quickly the whole 5k shibang I’ve been obsessing about was over.

The fastest man was 18+ minutes and fastest woman was 19+ minutes.

I had energy to burn after so I know I could have gone way faster. When the race started, about a hundred people charged and I thought ‘They’re gonna pay for it in the last mile when I pass them!’, pacing myself more for 6 miles instead of 3. The chargers never slowed…and I never passed them.

However, I ran my fastest 3.1 miles yet so I can only get fierce from here. Right?

The most difficult and unexpected aspect of running a 5k was pacing myself and breathing. I run with myself all the time so I just assumed I’d naturally find my race pace – slightly faster than my usual. But everyone else seemed to be going so much faster! While I wanted to keep up with that first wave of starting run charger, and I don’t think I could have, I didn’t even try because I was pacing. Pacing.

It wasn’t as hard as I though it would be to let people pass me. They just did.

Next time, my pretties. Next time, I’ll do a few training runs at faster than usual/ not quite race pace in order to get my breathing up to speed.

Everyone there was in great shape, and it was nice to be around a large number of runners who all woke up around 5am.There were many smiles before the miles and plenty after as the organizers quickly announced winners and prizes while we all inched away to the warmth of bus exhaust on our faces.

I can’t wait to do another 5k now that I get:

• When they say ‘GO’ You really ‘GO’ – with kick.
• 3 miles is not much so if you run regularly, you really can push yourself.
• There’s always going to be handfuls and handfuls of runners who can just run faster than you. It’s fun to be in the same race with them, and maybe one day I’ll be in a handful of someone else’s un-catchables.
• Find out if you can check bags and if so bring a camera and something warm.
• bananas and cashewnut butter are our best friends

Here’s the course we ran, south of the George Washington bridge, through Riverside Park. I did my best to

map it, but it’s about .02k short. Jersey’s on the left.:

Sorry, but I can’t talk about the 5k I’m going to run tomorrow because it’s my first and if I talk about it I’ll jinx it and probably loose my Mizunos or my lucky laces. I don’t really have lucky laces.

I do have a lucky pin I use to carry around – not wear. Running’s not conducive to wearing this pin and I wouldn’t want to carry it because it’s in the funny shape of a rabbit. And I lost it a long time ago.

But now I’m paranoid, should I have a lucky something for running? Superstition is prevalent in sports. It hints to that magical element that brings mystique to the moment. Because no matter how hard you train or bad you want to either reach your goal or squash your opponent, there’s an unpredictable nature to sports. And here luck comes in to play.

They’ve already changed the course, which I ran last weekend. More people are registered than I thought would be. If it rains. If I don’t eat because I’m nervous and therefore don’t have any energy. If I do eat too much and can’t put one foot in front of the other. If someone steps on my feet on the subway. If my cat accidentally cuts my throat with his well intentioned claws. If I’m just unfocused or having a bad breathing day…

That’s what I get for not having a lucky something to divert pre-race misfortunes.

That I’m not concerned with my speed is helping. But if you see something easy like a lucky paper clip lying around, send it my way please.

Tell me – Do you have a lucky something?

RUNNING UPDATE:

42+ miles in April

Total for 2008 —180 / 500 miles ran

Best of luck to runners in Boston undertaking the Big-B marathon right now, as I type. May there be many cool breezes. May ‘Hell Hill’ have mercy. May the crowd cheer your names. May the finish line greet you.

To those who have already finished: wow

To those still going: wow

25,000 runners lined up at the starting line this morning.

Robert Cheruiyot won his third consecutive Boston Marathon, becoming the first four-time winner since Bill Rodgers. His time just 33 seconds short of the record he set two years ago- 2:7:46

Dire Tune won on the women’s side, not a bad debut. Unofficial time 2:25:25

Ernst Van Dyk won in the men’s wheelchair race with a time of 1:26:49

You can see the energy in the picture the Boston Globe used of runners stretching pre-race.

UPDATE: It looks like Dire Tune’s unofficial winning time in the Boston Marathon today of 2:25:25 beat out Deena Kastor’s winning time of 2:29:35 at the Olympic trails on Sunday.

Saturday morning called for another city run; this one we planned. RC registered for his first 5k, which is May 3rd so that leaves 2 weeks to train. (I am considering running this, too. I haven’t registered yet because this would be my first 5k, and for me this is super intimidating, and I can’t tell yet if that excites me or fills me with paralyzing anxiety.) 

-This tempting 5k is organized by Asha: a non-profit to provide basic education for impoverished children in India. The Asha 5k begins on 83rd in Riverside park and goes North to 112th Street and back – the entire course is through a park along the Hudson river complete with rolling green hills. We didn’t run this course on Saturday, and I realize I need to do some serious uphill training before attempting to do so!

Saturday morning we took the 1 train to 125th street. By the time we got to Harlem from Brooklyn, the air was cool, sky blue and I realized I’d worn too many clothes. Note to self: dress to be 20 degrees warmer. Don’t wear two hoodies and a long sleeve tee over your running tank… We both downed a GU-gel, berry flavored, before taking off (more on gels in another post, the immediate energy boost from these is helpful, but the taste and consistency are tough to swallow).

The first mile from 125th, both a cyclist and running path, has a clear and safe separation from the traffic of the west side highway. You’re running on a well cared for, paved path only feet away from the river. Best of all, there is no formal pedestrian divider between island and water. You see the George Washington Bridge fading behind you and NJ framing the horizon, but it doesn’t feel like you’re in NYC. Most places along the water front are developed and planned. This first mile is natural with trees, rocks and grass, AND no marble benches and architectural accents that sometimes compliment and sometimes smother the majority of Manhattan’s waterfront. 125th to around 95th along the Hudson is to date my favorite mile of NYC.

The street numbers become a blur when you’re not actually running from block to block, but around mile 2 Riverside Park bursts with blossoming trees, baseball fields, gardens, rusty remains of piers that have out lived their use, and foot paths that rival Central Park’s. The running path detours through the promenade due to construction, and then returns to the river as a wider passage way lined on one side with benches and the other with fishermen who planted several poles in each, drowsing against the rail fence.

A multitude of Trump buildings along the 70s explain the sculpted parks and many opportunities to stretch on perfect grass or flat sunning stones. Around the 70s, we stopped to congratulate ourselves.  Not knowing the exact distance we’d covered, but we knew we’d done about 50 blocks and felt pretty good. The warm sun combined with the wind from the highway and the breeze from the bridge kept my body temperature down.

Around the 40s, Hells Kitchen, the course is less a continous sight to savor and more a test of both endurance and peripheral vision to spot cyclists, taxis, and limos pulling into the parking lot of the montstrous cruise ship parked on the pier. We were thirsty, but refused to pay the tourist-inflated $3 for a bottle of water. So we kept on, enjoying the view of the empire state building down 34th, and the gust of moist air from the liberty helicopters landing.

We knew water awaited just past fourteenth street at the first playground pier. The final mile was tough; we walk/ran – thirsty, hot and weighed down by layers of clothes. At 12th street we collapsed on a bench, chugged a cold bottle of water each, stretched and I felt a little sunburn on my shoulders. Note to self: wear sunscreen.

Here’s our course. Again, the map doesn’t do it justice, but I haven’t figured out how to run with a camera yet. 6.05 Miles, give or take a step (thanks to US Track and Field site mapper)

I’ll definitely run this course again. Next time, I’ll stretch more early on to keep myself loose. The flatness of this path, not to be confused with the course through Riverside Park, is deceptive. I didn’t feel the impact of the run as much because the scenery is so distracting early on. But because I’m not going for speed now, as soon as the scenery ended I wished I’d stopped, stretched, and taken in more of the view. So be it – I’ll run it again in a few days and probably won’t stop then either.

My decision to register for Asha is to be determined. Right now I’m about 70 / 30 in favor of going for it. If you’ve ever run a 5k, where was your first and what did you learn? Tips would be much appreciated and used.

Miles Update:

April Goal: 30 / 42 miles

2008 Goal: 163 / 500 miles

As one of the lucky Brooklynites living 3 blocks away from Prospect Park, I am obligated to take advantage of the farmer’s market, the quiet paths, soccer fields, and MOST importantly – the 3.35 mile course that loops through the 585 acre park.

Now that the temperature is perfect for evening runs, only a fool would head to the gym. –So I thought. Until my running partner, RC, informed me through teary eyes and sneezes that Spring is derived from the Latin word for allergy (he lied).

Those white and pink flower trees that launch me into ‘I love sprint time’ whistles, bring pain to RC- if not appreciated from a distance. A slight breeze brings horror to RC’s face and a shower of pollen filled buds.

It’d be selfish of me to always push for outdoor runs, if we didn’t Both prefer them. And some of the over counter allergy meds do help. How much? Beats me.

I’ve never had allergies (knock on wood). I don’t know if I’m in the majority or minority here because it seems as though everyone I have ever known has had serious allergies.

And I thought the most challenging part of running was running. I can’t imagine struggling to breathe because my lungs are closing, on top of trying to train to breathe right as a runner.

Hats off to everyone with allergies. Hats and sneaks off to runners with allergies. If there were a 5k to raise money for research towards ending all allergies forever I would be first in line. Until then, dearest running buddies with allergies, let us buy tissues and the next round of nasal spray is on me!