I know, I know…once again I have been slacking a bit lately in terms of the blog updating…
But that’s because I have been busy running!
The past two weeks I hit all my training runs – including long runs of 15 and then 16 miles. I was a bit nervous since I haven’t run anything longer than 13.1 since November 7th (last year’s New York marathon.) But both went fairly well. Even though the course I run is pretty hilly (to put in perspective – I gained about 1200 feet in elevation over 16 miles. The Big Sur marathon in Cali gains a bit over 1600 feet in elevation over 26.2 miles. New York gains about 880 feet over 26.2) During both runs, I still felt I had a bit more gas left in the tank if I HAD to keep going, which is definitely a good thing. I’m sure I was aided by…
A mostly shaded course.
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The lovely back roads of Wilton, CT |
Our amazing coaches leaving a few coolers filled with ice water along the course (hey, a Fuel Belt will only get you so far, especially during the summer!)
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Never underestimate the allure of ice cold water on a long run! |
And the thought of icy treats at the end
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My Gatorade ice pops are a total hit! Really, I’m surprised PepsiCo hasn’t thought of this themselves already |
Last weekend was also the Nautica New York City Triathlon. I didn’t race…but I did earn my spot for next weeks race by volunteering at the Expo Saturday afternoon!
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The NYC Tri expo |
I was a bit apprehensive about volunteering after running 15 miles that day, but it was actually an enjoyable afternoon. As soon as I arrived to the expo, I found the volunteer check in area…
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Volunteer check in |
And I was assigned to help with packet pickup. The athletes all had to attend a briefing before picking up their packets, so they would come in waves – so it wasn’t a constant flow, like in a road race. Plus, I somehow ended up at the station with the lowest bib numbers, so I got to scope out some of the elite athletes!
I am a bit overwhelmed by the fact that next year I will be competing in this race – Swimming a mile, biking 26 miles, and then running 6.2 miles all at once does seem a bit daunting. But hey, I never imagined be able to run 26.2 miles and I’m back for round two this year…so I’m fairly sure if I train I will be able to find my way to the finish line one way or the other.
But…I’m not going to stress too much about the tri now. I have a marathon to run in less than three months!
I never knew it was 880 feet of elevation…I have never run in Westport but I am sure the roads in Stamford and nearby towns are similar…It does make me feel a little more confident as I am training in tougher conditions.
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Hi, I came across your site and wasn’t able to get an email address to contact you. Would you please consider adding a link to my website on your page. Please email me back and we'll talk about it.
Thanks!
Mandie Hayes
mandie.hayes10@gmail.com
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