Day After

Here it is. The Day after. And this is how I was moving through the airport. No doubt. Struggle bus.

The City Where Every Day is a Race-14 days!

Why run NYC?

Because it was the first. The best. The biggest. And well...if you are a runner-you have to run NYC.

Alec Baldwin tells you why its amazing.


NYC Marathon Alec Baldwin from Marc Beroza on Vimeo.

2 weeks from tomorrow I will be hitting the starting line!

The Fans-15 Days!

I am definitely looking forward to having the multitudes of crowd support to get me through this race.
As I've been reflecting on the race, I was getting a little bummed about there being nearly 2 million spectators and knowing a handful of people throughout the race.

It is going to be so awesome to have this face to cheer me on:

And of course these faces:

and THESE faces:

And this year because my brother Drew lives in New Jersey, he'll be there too! 

But in the face of 2 million people, it is tough to think that I'm even going to SEE them! 

Then I heard from the charity that there are volunteers from Inheritance of Hope that are all along the race course that will be looking for my charity shirt and cheering for me! How cool is that? Another incredible benefit of running a race with charity. It's running on a TEAM of people that are pulling for you! 

Like a cloud of witnesses. 

Hebrews 12:1

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him (ME) endured the cross."

BUH-BAM. 

Get ready people. The crowds are the cloud of witnesses. Look at it that way and you will never been the same. 

It is such a picture of Heaven. I can not wait. For the race and for Heaven. 

Let's run this race. 

2011 ING NYC MARATHON - THE FANS from rook productions media on Vimeo.

Also, I will have the signs to look forward to. Just laugh.

Timing-16 Days!

Becoming a more serious runner means that you become seriously more intense about data. You want to know exactly what your times are, what they mean, how you can do better.

What this means in a big race like the NYC Marathon is that there are 48,000 runners who ALL want that data. And maybe their families want that info too.

So as you can imagine, the logistics of timing a race like this is INSANE. Check out how it gets done and done accurately.

17 Days-How Did My Heart Get a Knife?

Just 17 days until the marathon which means just 15 days until we LEAVE for the marathon! It's getting so close!

I am doing my daily recovery runs and stretching. Trying to eat right. Because I have all of THIS to look forward to.




Please don't let my heart stab my lungs.
Please don't let me poop my pants. Or pants my poop.
Please don't let Rob Thomas get stuck inside my head.

I'm gonna do it. Gimme that space blanket!

18 Days!

It's official! I got my bib number, corral information and start time today. The best news I found out is that I get to run on the top level of the bridge leaving Staten Island. This is crucial because nervous runners will stop and pee while on the bridge and it hits the runners below (this may be runner rumor but I didn't want to find out) and it is way more picturesque to be on the top level! YAY! It is starting to get crazy around here.

AND I am only ~$75 away from raising $6000 for Inheritance of Hope!

This whole process has been crazy wonderful from start to finish and I really hope I get to do it again. It is thrilling and I find myself overwhelmed with thankfulness from top to bottom. Everyday that I go run, I can't believe that I am able to do it.

It sounds weird, but I haven't missed a single workout on my plan so far and I have no idea how that has happened except by grace. I didn't even do that in college when I was playing soccer! Every day that I knock off another workout, I literally stand amazed that I just completed what was asked of me.

There is a great article in Christianity Today about the rise of charity runners and the author said, "The running path became a kind of church for me. Part small group, part quiet time, part worship, part memory verse practice time (I wore out the verse "I can do all things for Christ who strengthens me"). I wasn't just developing my muscles. I was growing spiritually."

I can easily say the same for me.
I have been so encouraged. Deepened. Thoroughly challenged to become a different person through this process.

I've also noticed that because I'm so tired, I'm actually emotionally available to people where before I might have been more defensive or on the move.
I have time. I'm able to listen and not talk. I cry really easily.

I am already dreading this being over. I am sure I will have post-race depression. Sure of it.
18 Days!

19 Days-Fill My Playlist Update

19 days left until the marathon.
The details are needing to get filled in.

Like-am I am going to listen to music or just let the crowds carry me along?

Reading runners blogs have led me to the conclusion that I will probably need a balance of the two. There are miles where the crowd is just awesome and all I need. And miles where I need to focus and let Pavlovian mentality take over. Just settle into my pace with music my body has trained to over the last three months.

So here is a playlist update thanks to all the amazing contributors to Inheritance of Hope:

This is EXACTLY 3:44 minutes of music. 

Which is EXACTLY the time I am predicting that I am going to finish. 

FREAKY HUH?

I might need a few bumper songs. Just in case I bonk. 

Not that it's going to happen, I'm just saying...

Last minute donation challenge:

How much MORE $ can we raise in the next two weeks? 

Donate here and let's see? 

BONUS?

Add your song to the playlist.

Encourage me. 

Run with me.

I run with you.

I think about you while I run in NEW YORK FREAKING CITY. 

No brainer. 

Here's the link:

Inheritance of Hope

First Avenue-20 Days!

Right now, we are making the big time race plans. Where will we meet after the race? What are the best places to watch? All the little details that go into one person running and 8 people cheering you on.

The only mandatory location of the NYC Marathon is somewhere along First Avenue. 

 "When you first run up First Avenue in New York, if you don't get goose bumps, there's something wrong with you." - Frank Shorter, on the New York City Marathon

20 Miles Today, 21 Days Until the Race!

This was a tough week. My hardest week of training so far. Coming on the heels of finishing an 18-mile run last week+a 13-mile race the week before, my legs have been tired. 

Heading out for my longest and most challenging run yet this morning, I was pretty nervous about how my body was going to hold up.

Thankfully, I had an incredible support team of Amy Noll and Kyle Murphy to tag along and keep my spirits up. 

We started climbing the roads around 6:30 this morning and felt good. My splits were where I wanted them. Around mile 11, Amy split off from us. She took some of our early morning gear which was nice to unload (lights and gloves).

Kyle and I continued and my training plan asked me to consider dropping the pace into race pace around the 1/2 marathon mark for three miles. We managed 2/3 miles. My legs started feeling tired. Like really tired. At that point, we were hitting 15 miles at a much quicker pace than last week. So we slowed a little as we entered downtown Asheville. I could sense that we were getting closer to the end of the run and started feeling good again. (A little espresso gu with caffeine may have contributed) and we lifted the pace again. Amy joined back up with us at mile 16. Around mile 17/18, every little hill started making me hate running. I started praying. Hard. 

Also Kyle started talking to me about buying cars. I don't think this run was any trouble for him. Which made me want to throw him in traffic and be in complete awe. Ugh. People who are better than you without trying.

We managed to wrap up the final two miles and then I wanted to be done running. But my body did not like the shock of stopping suddenly. I was one giant cramp waiting to happen. We had to go running MORE to cool down so my body wouldn't freak. 

I finished the run with my favorites: Gatorade and chocolate milk. The grossest taste combination you can imaging. They have to be consumed separately. 

Most of the time you would think you would eat the world after doing something like that. But my body really hates food after a long run. I can hardly choke down a banana until dinner. But tomorrow? Watch out! 

This was a hefty week. 40 miles of running. 6 hours. 

But now it starts to peel back little by little until the race. The hardest training work is done. The hardest mental work is ahead! 

Hurt-22 Days

I have a day off today from my training schedule to get my body slightly rested for my last big time long run before the marathon. I have a 20-miler to complete tomorrow morning. EEK.

There is no reward without pain, so I am getting ready for the hurt. I love this commercial from Nike using a cover by Johnny Cash of Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt". It shows the ups and downs of sports. Not everything is a victory march. Especially the guy throwing up mid-run. Bring on the hurt. Well...maybe not. 22 days!