Easy 8

This weekend I ran an “easy 8”. I’ve also referred to this run as “only 8”. In many ways this run was a huge milestone for me in my life as a runner.

EM, MF and I decided to do a long run so that we’d be ready for the Hot Chocolate 15K in the park on December 1st. I suggested a route that I had run once before, from 14th street on the east side to 14th street on the west side and then around the bottom tip of Manhattan until your back where you started. It takes you on some great running paths on lower manhattan with scenic views.

This is the same route that I did with BH for my first ever 8 miler. At the time, I was terrified about the distance- 8 miles! Me? Seriously? I worried about not being able to finish and about doing such a long run out of my comfort zone of Central Park.

I felt very differently this Saturday. I woke up to a perfect, sunny but cold fall morning and was excited that I’d be spending so much of it outside running. Instead of feeling anxious about being out of the park, I welcomed the change of scenery. The distance didn’t faze me, I felt ready for the time on my feet. I did have some concerns, namely my IT Band injury acting up and not being sure if I could keep up with my running mates, who are both a bit faster than me. I’m also new at running in the cold, and didn’t know if I’d be wearing the right thing.

It ended up being a great run. My IT did start to hurt, but I was able to push through and complete the distance and I didn’t have a problem keeping up. I found that I was dressed right, and was able to enjoy the lack of humidity.

When my TNT event ended, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to maintain my fitness without a training schedule to follow and all of the structure that training with the team provided. This run restored my faith my ability to self-motivate throughout the winter.

5 months ago I wouldn’t have believed that that an 8 mile run could be “easy” or something I’d refer to as “only” 8 miles. As we made our way over to first ave for a well-deserved post-run bagel, I felt tired but amazed at how far I've come.

0 to 13.1

For most of my life I had a “not unless I’m being chased” opinion about running. Hated it and avoided it whenever possible. Last April, I dragged my running-hating self up to Central Park for what I hoped would be 1 complete lap around the reservoir. I ended up running three in what I now realize was a life-changing epiphany: I love running!

True to my “jump in with both feet, all-or-nothing” nature, within a week, I had signed up with Team in Training to run the Nike Women’s Half Marathon and raise nearly $4,000 in the process. At the time, 13.1 miles sounded like an impossible feat- one that should only be attempted by “real runners,” certainly not by recently reformed running-haters like myself.

Sure enough, little by little, my mileage went up and I became more and more enamored with the sport of running and the culture that surrounds it. I also fell in love with Team in Training, an organization that does so much good work for Leukemia and Lymphoma patients and their families and turns ordinary people into marathoners and triathletes.

I also made some incredible friends along the way. BH who logged countless slow miles with me, often insanely early in the morning, EM my running mentor turned life mentor, LH my better half and CS, MF and JB to whom I’ve told my entire life story over countless loops in Central Park.

I had the time of my life running the Nike Half and was proud to be part of the NYC Chapter of TNT who raised over $900,000 and a race that raised $18.5 million for the fight against blood cancers.

My run this weekend (see next post) convinced me that I should take the advice that BH has been giving me all along; I should start a blog to record my journey and transformation.

Here I go- running towards 26.2.