And we're done...

The running of the original course was nothing short of amazing. The history, itself made the grueling course worthwhile. I mean seriously, at what other race, do you run uphill for 30km? But let's face it, there's a reason why Phidippides and the marathon came to be. If he had survived, would we have decided that it would be fun to put people through 16 weeks of intense training to run 26.2 miles?

The weather was a perfect 67 degrees F - a little chilly in the morning while waiting for the race to start. I actually draped myself in a plastic bag - who knew it could be so warm? I guess everyone especially since the race organizers were handing them out.

The spectators were beyond incredible. To say that the Greeks were proud of their history would be an understatement. A celebration of freedom, the marathon represents more to the Greeks than 42.195km and there were out there cheering everyone on, from the elites to the powerwalkers - handing out olive branches and yelling "Bravo!" and sending congratulations in both Greek and English.

The course was fully dedicated to the original run of Phiddipides, a statue in the middle of Marathon Ave. along with signs touting the original course. On a normal day, one could join a walking tour or walk along the course to relive history. But there would be no water stops along the way and no cheering section.

But the best part of the race was the 6 mile downhill and the finish in the stadium - you can't beat it!

Dear Athens...

Last night was my last run before we arrive in Athens. Yes, Athens, Greece. No, not Athens, Georgia. A nice easy run and I feel good; barring the fact that I woke up two nights ago with a Charley Horse in my left calf. I can still feel the tightness, but a little more calcium and potassium and my muscles should not do that again.

Side note: I tried looking up ways to ease the pain and everything I found was preventative. But what about when you're actually in the moment and all you want to do is make the pain go away?! Nothing. So, here's to everyone that has experienced a Charley Horse. If you experience it again, breathe through the pain. This is based on my newly gained knowledge as an Applied Physiology and Nutrition student.

Your muscles contract and relax based on the amount of calcium and ATP (or energy) in your body. The calcium activates the energy and proteins necessary to tighten your muscles. But your body relies on energy to relax your muscles. Breathing provides your body with oxygen. Oxygen is necessary for your cells - specifically the mitochondria - to create a maximum amount of energy. Therefore, breathing will create the energy needed to relax your muscles and get you through the pain of a Charley Horse. Now that the science lesson is over, I would like to draft a letter to Athens.

Dear Athens,

Last we met was rather memorable. You could say that you left a mark on me, forever. When I arrived at the airport, my luggage was still in Malta. An 8 hour layover at one of the smallest airports I have ever seen and still, my luggage didn't make it with me - it was also the only time during my trip around the world that I had to check-in suitcase. Not your fault, I know.

But then there was the issue at the hotel. They originally had me booked for three nights and when I changed the reservation to two nights, somehow my reservation was down to one. But I didn't get a refund for two nights, I only received a refund for one. I didn't immediately pay the hotel for the second night because I thought maybe I could find a cheaper place.

Well, the day that I went exploring (and on a hike) toward the Olympic Stadium, I stumbled into a hole. This hole was rather large and in the middle of the sidewalk. The only reason I stepped into it was because I was trying to grab a bottle of water to quench my thirst - it was the middle of summer and the middle of the day. By stumbling, I twisted my ankle. I was in so much pain that I could not stand up. I thought I had actually broken my ankle, instead. After about 5 minutes of shock and pain, I decided it was a good idea to walk 1.5 miles back to the hotel. On second thought, that was NOT a good idea.

I hobbled back into the hotel lobby, sat down on their couch and iced my ankle until it was time to make the decision. Pay for the extra night - hoping to be reimbursed or move? But what did I have to move; on top of the fact that I could barely walk, my luggage still had not arrived . So, I paid the extra night hoping to be reimbursed AND hoping that my luggage would arrive before the next morning because I was leaving for Italy.

It takes 20 minutes to get from the airport to the hotel - by bus. It took four hours for my luggage to arrive to the hotel after it landed. I just made it to the port before my boat left for Italy. And in the end, I received a reimbursement check for the extra night's stay. My ankle reduced in swelling very rapidly - maybe walking home did help, but the memories will be with me forever.

Oh, Greece...how I hope the second trip will be more favorable. Over 26.2 miles of land to cover, I should see all the sights I missed the last time. And I get to spend a few extra days on the island of Crete where I hope to sleep and relax until it is time to return to the life of a non-city city girl.

Bottomless Pit...

I can't believe we're already, here - the week where I am on a diet. Not the kind of diet where all I am allowed to consume is liquid, but the kind where I can't finish everything I'm supposed to eat. Two breakfasts: cereal, fruit and toast; lunch that takes hours to finish; an afternoon snack and before I get a chance to breathe I get to have dinner - complete with dessert. And best of all, it's the healthiest that I will eat since the last time I trained for the marathon.

Here's to the Greeks!

Splish...Splash...

I was takin' a bath - well, not really but that's how it felt.

I entered the locker room and it was silent. I checked how many lanes were open in the pool and no one was swimming. I changed, I showered and still no one. Now, this is strange. I swim at lunch and usually, there are multiple people swimming there with me. So I thought maybe I missed the sign saying that the pool was closed or enter with caution. But no, it just so happened that there was no one there.

If you think running is a lonely sport, I think swimming is the loneliest sport. So imagine that I am jumping into an empty pool, I swim a few laps and realize that if I swim as if no one is watching ('cause this time no one is watching) then I start to flounder. I don't breathe correctly, water gets up my nose, I start running, doing water aerobics; everything but swim.

Luckily, there were a few people that joined me after about 10 minutes of alone time. But I just couldn't get into a swimming workout. I still was able to workout since I am floating all of my weight in the water and getting from one end to the other - it's just a lot less graceful. So, as soon as I saw someone waiting for a lane, I decided to get out. Why waste a lane when someone who wants to swim deserves it? I'll tell you why - because that person isn't grateful for the lane; she wants a middle lane to swim in and not a side lane. And I wish I had told her, "Hey lady! When you're waiting for a lane, you take what you get - beggars can't be choosers. And P.S. I only got out because you were waiting. I still had 10 minutes left of bath time."

Running for your life...

That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but with the shorter days, it's getting harder to run at "night." A planned 5:30 run turned into a 6:10 run and it seemed like we pounded the pavement for an hour to just end up where we started from.

Maybe part of it was to get out some pent-up energy. It's not that I was being lazy all day - I woke up early to meet my parents downtown, went to another state for brunch, did some window shopping and still felt sluggish enough to go for a 6-mile run. Maybe part of it was to just get home so I could spend time with my lonely puppy. But there was definitely a part of me that wanted to get out of the park at night - even if I did have my running buddy with me.

Or maybe, I just wanted an excuse to eat. The taper period is always so interesting for me because I eat a lot - a lot more than normal, too which isn't a good thing when you're not running as much, but certainly helps with the carbo loading. I know I'm two weeks out, but this is where nutrition becomes just as important as the weeks of training that I've done up until now. If I don't have enough fuel for the race, I'm not going to enjoy the marathon at all. Just because I'm hungry at Mile 18 doesn't mean that I'm going to pick up the pace and "sprint" the next 8.2 miles - it's just not possible and there aren't enough gels in the world to make up for good solid Greek food at the end of the race.

P.S. I just got my bib number so weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! - race day is almost here. and eeeeeeeeeeeek!! - race day is almost here. But, I am going to make such a feast for next week that I've already starting the grocery list.

Running home...

Have you ever noticed that it's easier to run away than to run back? 56 streets and a few avenues later, I was home. But this time, I had thought of everything under the sun and it still took forever to get back.

Nutrition -
Note to self: don't eat donuts and hot chocolate for breakfast thinking that you'll burn the calories, later. My blood was clogged with so much sugar today that I felt like my body had to work three times as hard as moving a ton of bricks. And if anyone tells you that it doesn't matter what you eat while you're training for a marathon; it's just about getting in enough calories, think again.

Obstacles -
Why is it that when a moving object comes directly at you, you don't move (or even better, you decide to move right in front of me)? It's only three miles from work to home, but I felt like I ran twice as far weaving in and out of traffic (humans, bicycles and even a 18 foot box truck - the driver glared at me like I was in HIS way and then continued with some sexist comment).

Balance of Transit -
So...it didn't take me that much longer to run home than it would to take the train. Therefore, I should run home everyday, right? Well...it's not wrong, but it's not entirely right. Running home means leaving a lot of things at the office so although the commute is just as long, it's kind of inconvenient. But what about running with a backpack? I could do that with just a little extra planning. And then, the ultimate - why not ride my bike? If only I didn't fear city traffic like I do sharks, it would be an option. I have no problem riding in the park where motor vehicles are not allowed, but I haven't figured out how to safely get from my home to the park. And in the end all these excuses just really mean that I'm lazy.

Three miles; three topics. Not too bad for someone who refuses to listen to headphones while running. I'm sure there were more, but I was so tired and hungry when I got home that I quickly forgot how excruciating the run was and starting gorging food (not donuts) and drinking gatorade. Let's hope I continue to forget so that I can continue this "tradition" - maybe trend is a better word or better yet, fad - from one week to the next.

Another swim in the bank...

Man, swimming has to be one of the most tiring sports. I swam for 25 minutes at most and I was asleep before my head hit the pillow last night and definitely through my alarm this morning. I did try a little bit of a workout in the pool - not just swimming laps back and forth. For 8 lengths of the pool, I swam without using any leg power - just arms. And for 8 lengths of the pool, I swam without using my arms - just leg power. What a difference it makes!

And with the switch-up, I more or less was able to count how many laps I did to total about 36 (hopefully, I lost count and I swam more). Even if I have nothing to think about, I can't keep track of how many laps I do - it's just too many laps to track in my head. A few years ago, I swam with a friend after work and we would bring pennies to track how many laps. Some days, when they switched the lanes to go from the width of the pool to the length of the pool, it was easy to track.

Lesson learned: If you want to track your laps, find a longer pool.

I scream...You scream...

Didn't think there was a best part about training for a marathon? Aside from the physical and emotional advantages of exercising, these next three weeks have got to be my favorite.

a - I get to eat.
2 - I don't have to run as much.
and iii - Did I mention that I get to eat?

It's not that I don't eat on a regular basis; I do. It's that I get to eat more - way more than I eat on a regular basis. When you carbo load for a marathon, you've got to mean it. Carbo loading doesn't mean having a Pasta Party, the night before...it means loading up for a week. And prior to that...eating guilt-free so your body can store enough energy for the big day!

The Agony of Defeat

Okay...so maybe I'm being a little melodramatic, but I have officially been defeated by the email bully. It feels awful, but my run last night (with my buddy) was certainly helpful. Why? Because it took my mind off of things - we talked about more exciting life updates and caught up with each other since we hadn't run or seen each other in a couple of weeks.

In the end, I was tired and my knee was a little sore. With two workouts, a relaxing bath and a quick meal behind me, I was off to bed early for the first time in months; maybe even years. Having had a good night's rest, I still feel defeated, but at least I am refreshed.

Be One with Yourself

I've come to enjoy what I used to fear; the water. What made it so scary was that I could hear myself breathe and there was nothing to listen to but myself. Today, as I was walking to the pool, I was really excited to have 20 - 25 minutes of silence. After being bullied via email and then told to grovel until I could not go any lower, all I wanted to do was get away.

The silence of the pool took me away from the continuous badgering of Manhattan. I never thought I would call Manhattan home as I enjoy the serenity of a more suburban life, but Manhattan has more to offer than I could have every imagined. But some times, I need to rest and get away. As I have been often categorized, I am Type A-; not A and not B, but A-. Manhattan brings out more of the A than the minus. It's a good thing that I lived in California straight out of college - it certainly brings out more of the minus (which is a good thing) than the A. Otherwise, I would probably be a much different person and on my way to my first heart attack or maybe even a psychiatric ward, especially when my OCD is in full force.

Unfortunately, I could not escape from the world for long enough. A short workout in the pool and then, it is back to the grind of the work day. Luckily, I am supposed to run 3 or so miles, today - the first double workout I think I've ever had. But what makes the day even better is that Tuesday is Farmer's Market day - at least until mid-November. And today, the awesome fudge brownie was an awesome fudge pumpkin brownie - DELICIOUS!!!!!

Making the most of it...

Three weeks ago, I joined the gym. Why? Because my "free" gym membership as a student expired. But the truth is, I rarely went to the gym to workout as a student so why was I joining a gym now?

I wanted access to the pool. The pool was going to be my cross-training for my non-running days. I had very high hopes for cross-training; swim one day, go to trapeze class the next. Both of these are great ways to strengthen your arms and stretch out your lungs without actually pounding the pavement. Let's count how many times I've been in the pool since I started training: ONE. And the trapeze classes? ZERO.

So, my cross-training isn't all that I hoped it to be. But at least I can say that I started and more importantly, that it feels good. It's that adrenaline rush (or even the pain that comes with exercise) that makes me crave the workout. That and when someone tells me, "NO."

The ultimate goal in getting back into the pool is to train for my next sprint triathlon. If I can learn to swim in open water (even though I'm training in a pool) for a longer distance, say 800 - 1000m, maybe I'll consider training for the olympic distance. And for that, I have started training early. The triathlon season is winding down in the northeast and it won't start up again until next spring. So...if all goes well, I will have about 6 months of training under my belt - at least for the swim. But the run will be a breeze and I'll rely on my gear shifters to make biking that much easier.

If you don't know me already, I'm not vying for the top spot - just as long as I finish, I'll be happy.

18 miles down and 5 weeks to go...

After last week's inevitable injury, I did not run an ounce - which probably helped for my 18 mile run this morning. Perfect weather; pretty good run. I ran three loops around the park and many hills later, I was back home getting ready for class - boy did I really want to go back to sleep.

While on my run though, I thought about ALL the things I would write in my blog - like the book that Murakami wrote on what he thinks about when he runs. But in reality, I don't think about much (and I also don't listen to music). Sometimes the miles pass by really quickly and other times, I wish I was already finished - mostly because I'm hungry and want to eat. If you've ever run a marathon, you know that the gel you suck down to give yourself a boost of energy is nothing like eating a full meal. Speaking of which, my "pre-race" meal last night was fantastic: baked potato with cheese and greek yogurt, baked beans, tomatoes sauteed in leftover bacon fat and a portion of pasta with salt and butter (since when do I like pasta with butter?).

So...after 4.5 hours of being on my feet (includes walking to the start, standing at the start and walking home from the finish) and 3 hours of class, I'm pooped and going to take a nap. My only hope is that my nap turns into a full night's rest.

Murphy's Law and the Inevitable Injury

Well...it's here - peak training season and with it comes a slew of oddities.

I woke up this morning with a pain in my knee. Not a sharp pain, but enough to give me a slight limp. And as unexpectedly as it started, the pain went away and then came back, again. For the past few months - wait, make it over a year - I would make any excuse not to go running. But today, I was adamant about going running. My running buddy was expecting me to go double digits and I didn't want to let her down. I could have also been using running to procrastinate for something else - like taking my mid-term? So, I compromised and ran 3 miles; giving my knee some time to rest before the 18 mile tune-up run next week - that means it's the LAST long run before Athens - EEK!

So, what is it? My lack of training that is causing my knee to hurt or overuse? This is why this is my absolutely LAST marathon (for a while). I would like to say that I'm retiring, but given my track record, the last four marathons were my absolute LAST. Running marathons can be compared to giving birth (not that I would know) - it hurts like hell, but for whatever reason, you go back for more.

Running as Therapy

It's always hard to get out there when your schedule takes over. But at the end of the day, it's worth it.

Yesterday was an all-around gloomy day - the weather started off overcast and rainy; I wasn't in the best of spirits and the work day didn't help - neither did the subway ride home. Luckily, I had the right mind to gchat my running partner and have her "convince" me that we should go for a run and vent. By the time I decided to gchat her, I knew that the only choice I had was to go running.

We agreed to do a tempo workout and as smart as I am, I scarfed down an entire hot dog prior to the run. It was there for the dog (as in our puppy), but I couldn't resist eating it - I could make him another one when I got back. But a tempo run and brisk jog later, I felt much better. I was able to run off some of that negative energy as well as vent a little bit to settle my mind.

Lesson Learned: Next time, you think about going to your therapist (or in my case, think about sitting at home and eating ice cream), think about how much money you could save with a running buddy and a pair of sneakers.

Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

I wish!! It would beat having to carry around those carbohydrate packed gel-like substances which have since been made better as gummies or jelly beans. It would also beat the heat...90s and 50% humidity. Let's just say that my transition back to the east coast from sunny, temperate Northern California was much different from moving out there. I moved out there and started running all year round. I moved back here and found every excuse not to run - it's too cold, it's too hot, it's raining, etc.

Luckily, my friend from college connected me to his friend (9 months late - but who's counting...) and she coincidentally became my running buddy. It's always hard to find a running buddy especially since I'm not the fastest long distance runner nor do I have the most endurance. To be compatible, you have to be comfortable with one another; not only in pace, but also in personality. Does she talk too much; too little? Am I keeping her from running faster or are we pushing each other to the finish line? Although we run different races (not on purpose), we have the same running philosophy which makes running a lot more FUN!

But also, she keeps me from bailing on my scheduled run. Don't get me wrong, I still find excuses not to run, but I run a lot more often in the heat and humidity than I would have otherwise. It's taken a few months, but I am more inclined to say "yes" when people ask if I'm a runner whereas before, I felt a little guilty in doing so.

59 days to go...

So, I was cruelly reminded that I have less than 60 days before I run the 2500th anniversary of a marathon in the "original" location - original is in quotes because the length of a marathon, today is slightly longer than Pheidippides' fatal run - 1.35 miles to be exact. I mean, really, who decides to lengthen a race that killed the messenger? The Queen of England, of course.

Anyway...training has been - let's just say - going. Not only have I paid to register for the race, the travel and the hotel, but I have also paid to run "mini" races in the meantime. In all honesty, I'm not motivated enough to run 16 miles by myself in the blazing heat. Luckily, this past weekend's long run was very cool for an East Coast summer. In another few weeks, I'm registered to run 18 - so I'll have at the very least put in the time and some of the mileage.

This is my fifth marathon - and it will be my last. I'm retiring. I would prefer to keep my original knees and hips when I'm 60, but perhaps, the damage is already done.

It's been a long time coming...

I guess it's finally time to get with the times and start a blog - a blog about my adventures in running (and the excuses to travel).

Brief (albeit a little long) History:
I started running - really running with a coach and all in 1994. I was somehow persuaded to be a distance runner (aka miler and x-country athlete) only to find out that I was a much better sprinter - that day was the best and worst day ever. Sprinting requires a lot more technique than distance running and thus, my days of practicing until 3:45pm (and making the 4:10pm bus home) were shot. I had to stay until 5, but at least practicing high jumping, long jumping, hurdling and sprint techniques were much more fun than running in circles around the track or running to the lake and back (anywhere between 6 and 10 miles).

But then, I went to college and since I wasn't the best athlete, I had to give up sprinting and revert to distance running. I still hated it, but when I moved to San Francisco where the outdoor running excuses (it's raining, it's cold, it's humid, etc.) were few and far between, I started training for my first marathon - who knew??!!

And now, I'm training for what will be my five marathon (and my last). So, I find it appropriate that I will be running to Athens 2500 years after the first man died from running that far - great...just great.