Week #11 – The Final Countdown

The girls of Team Arnicare are in the homestretch — only five more days until the More/Fitness Half Marathon! Wrapping up their training with strong runs and prep work, the team is ready to give it their best shot on Sunday.

I’m about as ready as I am going to be for this weekend’s race. One of the roughest winters in the area, and I did not get the road time I should have. I am happy to say that my time has been as expected, and my two-year hiatus from running did not set me back as badly as I had thought. So far, training has been pain-free except for my one hill day. Two days prior to race day, I’ll be popping my Arnica montana–no matter how long it takes me to cross that finish line, I know I will be running!  – Kay

In an effort to make this week’s run as close to the conditions of next week as I could, I did my first training run outside. It was 32 degrees, and there was frost on the car windows–I reminded myself this may be the same weather as race day and got myself ready. Same clothes that I will wear race day. Same breakfast that I will have race day. But what about water stations, and how will I calculate my distance? My problem was solved when my partner came to the rescue and rode his bike alongside me. He carried two GPS tracking systems to calculate the distance. He rode ahead of me every 1.5 miles or so to have water ready for me as I jogged by. He let me know my distance and my pace. It was awesome! The only thing I failed to do was a spur that would take me up a steep incline (like Harlem Hill)–make no judgments, I’ve got to leave some surprises for race day. What did I learn? I will definitely cross the finish line. I’m also considering running with an energy gel to take at the half-way mark (my pace dropped over the last four miles by three seconds, three seconds, three seconds and seven seconds, respectively). Running in the cold isn’t as bad as I’d imagine it was. And I really do run faster on the pavement than on a treadmill.  – Nancy

I ran a strong 12 miles this past Saturday–my first time ever running a distance of more than 10 miles. My legs were slightly numb when I was done, and my quads still ache two days later, but I was happy with my time, and I’m happy with my progress over the last 11 weeks. Or at least I was until I Googled “Harlem Hill” and “Cat Hill” this morning (thanks Nancy!) and found several blogs commenting on the intense elevation of both hills–Harlem at the beginning of the six-mile loop and Cat towards the end. I’ll admit I panicked for about five minutes after reading those posts. But then I took several deep breaths and told myself to relax. My goal for Sunday is to finish the race in two hours. These big hills may keep me from achieving that goal, but I’m not going to let them beat me mentally six days before the race. Two easy runs and a bus ride to NYC are all that stands between me and that starting line, and I’m nervously excited to complete my first half marathon. (Knowing we get a sweet medal at the end of the race helps too!) See you at the finish!   – Heather

This is it! The final stretch before the race! I feel surprisingly ready! Even if my training was everything but consistent, I managed a strong 11-mile run this weekend that was only made difficult by my lack of water. I even did this long run in the exact outfit I plan on wearing on race day, just to make sure all the final details were taken care of. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this ready before a race! Sure, my friends still manage to make me feel nervous with their 12 and 13 miles of training, but I try to remind myself that running is about doing your best and going beyond what you think your limits are. Or at least that’s what this new passion is for me! Heather, Kay & Nancy–I can’t wait to do this race together! Go Team Arnicare!  – Nathalie