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| Vitamin Water Zero - good for Long Run Saturdays and hungover Sundays |
Daylight Savings and the delicious tequila beverages I had last night probably both hit me a little harder than expected because yesterday I ran a little farther than usual on my "Long Run."
Every Saturday I run a "Long Run." For real distance runners and marathon trainers, it is not "Long." But for me, it is a little longer than what I usually run. It has become a new necessity for me and the source of my recent goals.
Usually my Long Run is a 7 mile loop along the Westside Highway down and around the bottom tip of Manhattan and up the East River. I LOVE THIS LOOP.
I have been a runner since high school and I have always run consistently since then. I love it for all the reasons runners love running. It keeps you fit. It is the easiest thing to just pick up and do. It keeps me sane and de-stressed. I feel like I can breathe better when I'm done. I always feel better after a run.
However I have never been a distance runner. I like to run fast-ish and short. On a normal day, a "fast" paced (7:45-8:00) 3 to 4 mile run does the job for me - still after years of doing it. When I am done, my head is cleared, my stress is gone, I am a sweaty, smiley mess and I feel great.
I also love short fast runs because they are so low maintenance -- I can fit 30-45 minutes into my schedule easily, I can do it on a treadmill without wanting to die of boredom, I don't have to be conscience about what I eat beforehand, or about hydrating, or electrolytes or having to go to the bathroom during the run etc etc. Short runs are low maintenance. I like low maintenance.
So the short fast run has been my best friend for years. 2-3 runs a week and I was a happy person.
Until in 2010 I got an injury (non-running related) that prevented me from running, and any form of strenuous exercise, for months. I do not wish such a thing on anyone who loves to run / exercise and is used to doing so regularly. It was terrible.
As soon as I recovered, I was ready to get back into a routine. But I could barely run 10 minutes in a row. It was devastating. I could not remember ever struggling to run for 30 minutes. I felt like I had never run before in my life. I did what beginning runners are told to do -- ran as far as I could until I had to walk, walked a bit, then ran again up to a total of 30-45 minutes. I did this a few times a week and was eventually back to my normal running pace again much to my relief. But it was hard. Harder than I ever thought it would be. It is no joke -- if you basically stop running for several months, it will be hard to start up again.
And when I got back to where I'd been, running 3-4 miles at a 8:00 /mile pace. It felt great. Amazing. I couldn't believe how much I'd missed it. That was a year ago - February 2011.
Realizing how much I'd missed running and how much I loved it, made me naturally want to increase the number of runs I was doing - until I was running 5-6 times a week. My pace got faster and I started wanting to go farther.
Over the summer I went for runs outside, and a few times, ended up running for an hour, unplanned. And it felt great. I soon realized there could be a new love I have for a longer run. So, in the fall I started my Long Run Saturdays.
I do the same Westside to East River Loop every Saturday. Did I mention I LOVE THIS LOOP. If you are in NYC, try it. I have run many of my fast/short runs over the years in all sorts of places, different countries, cities, parks, paths, countryside, mountains. Yes, I have run in Central Park - and it is great. But it is a far trek for me to get up there -AND I really don't like it nearly as much as I like my Loop.
On my Loop you are always alongside water. And when you are running, I swear that water looks cleaner than it is - and even smells like the ocean sometimes! I love running under the bridges, seeing the statue of liberty, the boats. My favorite stretch is along the East River right before South Street Seaport - running under the bridge - there is a stretch of sandy beach, and actual waves lapping the beach and sea gulls (not pigeons - these are actually white clean looking sea gulls!).
I also love this Loop because it has been the perfect Long Run for me. 7 miles was a good step up from my 3-4 miles. It is an hour of running. I have had to learn to pace myself a little, I cannot do the whole thing at my normal 7:45/8:00 pace. When I'm done I feel great. It has become a necessity in my week. Like therapy. I need my Loop. I need to see all my little favorite spots on the Loop. I need to zone out and clear my head.
It does the job. I've done the run every Saturday since October - except 2 days -- one when it snowed and one when wind chill was in the teens (of course this has been the best winter ever to run outside!!). I forced myself on the treadmill those 2 days and managed 7 miles, but of course it was not the same. And the Saturdays I've been out of town, I've done a 7-8 mile run outside wherever I am which was better than the treadmill, but I still missed my Loop!
I love my Loop and my Long Run Saturdays. But, the Long Run is not low maintenance.
First, I have to try to be careful about what I do on Friday night. No I will not stay in completely or avoid certain foods or alcohol. I'm not running a marathon here - or even training for one. But I do try to limit the amount of alcohol I drink and the time I go to sleep - no 4 AM binges for me before Long Run Saturdays (which is definitely a good thing, who do I think I am anyway?? One night of debauchery -- Saturday -- is enough for a weekend). However, I'm not the most disciplined person when it comes to such things. I am a night person and I like to catch up with friends. I am always up for 'just one more drink' or a 'night cap'. So there HAVE been times when I've had to consciously discipline myself on a Friday night in anticipation of Long Run Saturday.
Second, I am not a morning person. At all. I don't understand how people can be happy and cheerful early in the morning before ample quantities of coffee. And, while I will get up to run in the morning if it is the ONLY time I can fit it in, I don't like to do this. I don't run as well early in the morning. I don't feel as good on my run. That makes me grumpy. On a Saturday morning, I prefer to sleep in until I naturally wake up, which could be 8 AM or could be 10 AM, depending on my Friday night or week plans.
Third, and related to the above, is that I have to think about what I'm eating and how much I'm hydrating in order to make it through an hour run. I definitely have to eat something - and far enough in advance that I'm well digested on the run. And I have learned my lesson about eating the wrong thing. NO high fiber cereal on a Long Run Saturday. I tried peanut butter + banana on toast this week and this may be my breakfast of choice now.
And then you have hydration. I find hydration to be a huge issue for me. Maybe it is partly in my head but my hardest runs I usually pin on not being hydrated enough. And I am a salty sweater - so I need a good dose of electrolytes as well. I am seriously addicted to Vitamin Water Zero at the moment -- but next on my list to try is Nuun. The biggest challenge for me is getting the right amount of hydration and then peeing enough before my run so I don't have to stop and pee. This balance is SUCH a challenge.. Am I the only one who finds it hard to do??
Finally - to get to the Westside highway and back from East River from where I live is a bit of a walk (2 miles total). Yes, I could run or jog part of that and often I do - but it is difficult jogging 14th Street on a Saturday with so many people out and about and having to stop at all the lights. So usually I (speed) walk a good portion of that stretch -- which lengthens the door to door time of the run.
So you see... Long Run Saturdays = not low maintenance. All the Friday night disciplining, eating the right thing, hydrating, digesting, getting to and from my Loop and running - when all is said and done it takes up a good portion of my Saturday. Does anyone else have this problem? Maybe I need to just get my act together and force myself out earlier. I don't like having my Saturdays revolve so much around this -- I hesitate to make plans on Saturday because of it - which is not a good thing. I did once do my Long Run before a brunch that I had - I fit all in and was showered and at brunch by noon - and it was great! But I also had naturally woken up well rested before 8 AM that day for whatever reason. Anyway - all this to say - goal #1 on Long Run Saturdays is to get better about the timing of my run, be more efficient and get started earlier. I need to feel free to make other plans and fit my run in somehow.
Goal #2 is to increase mileage. This week I ran 9 miles for the first time. 8 miles was non-stop (1:07 total time) and then I walked across the street and for about 30 seconds then started up again at a slower pace and ran through to 5th Avenue. It was weaving around people on the sidewalks and stopping at lights - but I ran until I hit 9 miles. My goal is to increase my Long Run Saturday to 10 miles. This will mean making my Loop start higher up on the Westside Highway or exploring whether the East River paths go beyond 20th Street - yesterday I tried going that way and was running through a gas station and some sort of hospital looking building - what is that?? And where does the path go?? Did I lose the path or is that where it ends?? I was very confused so just turned around and ran back. I will look this up.
But, yesterday was good. I felt great. Well, except that less than a mile in I had to pee. REALLY?? Ughhh, the right hydration to pee-before-run ratio is so hard for me to perfect. Thank goodness for being near the public toilets. Still I get so grumpy when I have to stop so early on. And that grumpiness made me run faster than I should have when I started up again for that first mile- which I paid for later.
My legs got a little heavy around mile 4-5. But then felt better. Mile 8-9, I was dragging though. I was slow. I felt tired. I could not have easily run another mile. I have read that when you run over an hour you may need to refuel a little - so I may need to try this to see if it helps. I am afraid of all the marathon gels - but read on a serious runner's blog that a pack of honey or Annie's Bunny Snacks could help so will need to investigate. (see www.rungiarun.com, one of the blogs I like to follow!)
Well I have now killed a good chunk of time on my couch while eating breakfast for lunch and enjoying my coffee. I feel better about the sun peeking through my blinds. I think I might even change out of my pajamas and head out a bit before it's time for my Sunday yoga class -- my new favorite post Long Run Saturday routine. Vinyasa. Perfect to stretch out my legs and doesn't require a lot of energy. Low maintenance; no Saturday night discipline needed. I like that.
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