Diary of a Running Mom

Looking for Your Help Choosing My First 50k Ultra

Many of you have heard me ranting of plans for my first ultra for a while now. Sometime last fall, I decided that I would run 30 miles for my 30th birthday. I planned to do it in December. Then in February for my actual birthday. Then in March because I needed more time to train.

Well after keeping in, let's say better shape in the winter months than I've ever been in during the winter before, and after meeting Tara the 100 mile ultra runner, Marny the aspiring 50 mile ultra runner (who trains in the snow-covered, mountain lion inhabited Rocky Mountains of Colorado), seeing Cathy finally sign up for her first marathon, and talking to many other inspiring woman, I have no doubt I will rock this 30 miler!

But, for those of you who don't know me, I'm a planner!

So while I build up my mileage, I continue to plan my 30 miler. The question is: shall I do it on my own, with friends there for support, or shall I do it as part of an official, organized race?

If I do it on my own, I will run through the streets of NYC touring all my old stomping grounds over the years, where I will gather enough friends to either cheer me on, or take turns running with me. Then we will all celebrate with drinks after.

If I do it as an official race, I have my eyes set on the Bear Mountain North Face Challenge 50k in the beautiful Alps of NYC along the Hudson River.

If friends come to this, they will probably not be able to show their support until I cross the finish line, as this is run completely on trails and doesn't seem to have any cheering areas. I plan on getting hotel rooms for my friends so we can celebrate the next day on the water or at the nearest watering hole.

It is limited to 250 people, so it will probably be the smallest race I've ever run.

Not only will this be the longest distance I've ever run, it will be like no race I've ever run before. So far my racing experience has existed on paved roads where there are anywhere from 2500 - 40,000 people running and usually at least an equal amount of people cheering us on.

In addition, this race is known to test the endurance and strength of it's participants. It is given a 5 out of 5 stars in difficulty, rough terrain, hilliness and in beauty.

And have I mentioned, I have almost no experience running trails. So this would be my first attempt at both the distance and the terrain.

With that in mind, I now put this question out there for you, friends, runners, trail runners, distance runners, ultra runners, runners who have perhaps run this particular event:

Which would you choose for your first 50k ultra marathon? A self planned and organized run in a familiar place with support from friends or the North Face 50k beautiful but challenging trail race in Bear Mountain? Or perhaps some other Ultra 50k ultra that you can recommend?

Thanks for you input!

Don't Let Radio Shack Get You Down

I woke up this morning greeted by snow, and it being my busiest time of the year as a bookkeeper, I planned to do nothing but work all day until this evening when I would leave E-man with my niece and go for a nice long run.

That plan was quickly foiled upon the realization that my few-week-old wireless keyboard was no longer recognized by my computer. A Google search of GigaWare wireless keyboards confirmed that I was far from being the only one with this problem (overall one star out of 5 and comments like never buy this keyboard!), so I packed my keyboard and toddler into the stroller for a quick run to Radio Shack for a replacement.

I was greeted by the usual questions. Did I have my receipt? Did I have the box it came in? No, with a tiny NYC apartment and a toddler, I do not keep every box.

I had come expecting no cooperation or responsibility from Radio Shack, so I was fully prepared to purchase the cheapest non-wireless keyboard they had and go my merry way. I am also fully aware that Radio Shack's items are all way over-priced, but time and convenience were of the essence here. Once again, I had a lot of bookkeeping work to do.

I even picked up an over-priced phone charger while I was at it.

Radio Shack had no argument from me so far. I was a gullible customer with a screaming toddler and high expectations of the day that did not include spending unnecessary time fretting over high prices, unfairness and the simple principles of quality and honest business that seem to mean less with each passing generation.

But apparently the pawns at Radio Shack were way too zealous to know anything about quitting while they were ahead. The sales clerk asked if I wanted to purchase a warranty this time around. Then if my new keyboard broke, they would replace it. I replied that I did not want to purchase a warranty. I should not be required to pay extra to guarantee that the already over-priced product I bought from them would actually work.

He replied that if I had purchased warranty on the previous keyboard, they would have simply replaced it. I replied that this was not doing me very much good after the fact now was it? Besides what were they telling me here, that this keyboard wasn't going to work either? I really just wanted to get out of there and take up the whole issue with someone at Radio Shack or GigaWare (which I suspect is a part of Radio Shack) who specializes in dealing with crappy products when I had the time, since there seemed to be many unhappy customers of this product.

Well that's when all hell broke loose. Apparently I had blasphemed their god. The stock boy now climbed down from his latter and came marching up to the sales counter, proclaiming that if Radio Shack guaranteed their products without their customers paying extra for the warranty, the products would actually work for perhaps an unlimited amount of time and Radio Shack would never make any money on resales.

Now I'm a business woman. I understand this principal. But the kid was actually yelling at me, the mother of a screaming toddler who was sweaty from running half a mile over there with a broken keyboard as if I was somehow trying to rip Radio Shack off by requiring them to sell me a product that actually works!

I replied that I did not expect anything to last forever, but a $30 keyboard should surely last longer than a month. To which he replied that I should have kept my box. I looked at him and asked, where did you come from and why are you making this your problem? You had me buying a 2nd overpriced keyboard from you in one month AND a phone charger that was costing me more than double what I would have paid at the phone store.

I mean come on guys, it's not enough that you stick a $52 pole up my butt? Now you're gona insist that I bow down and thank you for the favor and give you a tip! And you're doing all this for Radio Shack and what are they giving you for it, six bucks and hour!?

Well that was it, they had gone too far. I promptly left the keyboard and charger on the counter, closed my wallet and left the store without even cleaning up the mess my toddler had made while we exchanged these pleasantries. I would take my business elsewhere, I assured them.

Now the lazy run/walk that had gotten me to Radio Shack was replaced by an adrenaline-fueled, what-kind-of-world-do-we-live-in, crazy-mama, peeling-off-my-coat-and-flying-through-the-snow, sweating-to-stay-in-shape-so-I-have-the-energy-to-raise-my-kid-better-than-these-idiots, I'll-run-all-day-to-avoid-getting-ripped-off sprint.

I ended up getting a four-mile run out of the experience and saving about $32 by buying a Logitech keyboard from staples and getting the phone charger for $10 at a phone store instead of $25+ tax at Radio Shack.

And what did Radio Shack get out of it? They lost a $52 sale over trying to convince me to spend an extra $2.

As I was running home, I ran past a lady who was running in the opposite direction and we both smiled at each other, a guy who was walking his dog and gave me a big thumbs up for pushing my jogging stroller in the snow, a couple of pedestrians who smiled and nodded when they saw me running and a construction worker who held down traffic at a busy intersection just so I could run past and I thought to myself, there are still good people in this world, they're just not at Radio Shack.

A Week Behind

After my 4th wk of not reaching my weekly goal mileage, I've taken a good look at my training plan and realized that what it comes down to is I'm a week behind. This week my training plan says to run 34 miles, but I ran 28, that was my goal mileage for last week. Last wk I ran 22, which was my goal mileage for the wk before...

But other than being a week behind, I'm feeling pretty good. Today for example, I was looking forward to a 6-7 mile run, but didn't feel like I could drag E-man or myself out for more than a mile in the freezing rain.

So I've decided that being a week behind and feeling like I could do more each run is way better than I've ever done before. Usually I'm lucky if I get in 50% of  my goal training and I feel sore all the time. So I'm making progress this time around!

week 3, day 2

I'm three weeks into my ultra marathon training with a painful shin and 18 miles short of my goal mileage so far. It's been a lot of trial and error, but I'm feeling good.

Week 1, I planned to run 22 miles. That was a big jump from what I've done for the last couple months, but totally doable considering what I know I'm capable of. However, I didn't plan on the snow.

My first day running in the snow, I made it a mile. I had to go to the store anyway, so I figured I'd run there and back, pushing E-man in the jogger. I think he was quite fond of the bumpy ride. Me, I had to do a lot of maneuvering around yellow-coated snow and ankle deep puddles of slush left in the corners.

You see in the city, the streets are cleaned by the city-employed-snow-plow-operators and the sidewalks are cleaned and salted by whoever owns or rents the building in front of said sidewalk. But the corners...well the corners are like the Wild West in the 1800's...left to those with a tough gut and a big, long pole. I had neither, so I returned home after a long run with soaked sneakers and freezing toes, but finally able to brag that I'd run in the snow.

On my second day of running in the snow, I at least knew what I was getting myself into. I made it two whole miles, stopping several times to fight with E-man over keeping his mittens on, and warm his hands when he cried over how cold they were, not understanding that was the purpose of the mittens. Two miles was all I could ask of my little trooper and I wasn't too disappointed myself at the prospect of returning home.

Day 7 of week 1, the weather was about 40 something degrees (up from the teens), the wind had died down and the snow had melted. I felt like Noah on Mt. Ararat. But since we are only in December, and my ultra is scheduled for March 20th, I thought it prudent to plan for more snow and cold, windy weather. So off I went for a run to join the nearest gym with daycare.

Week 2, I planned to run 24 miles. I figured I'd run the 3 miles to my new gym (pushing E-man in the jogger), run 30-60 minutes on the treadmill while E-man played happily and warmly in the gym daycare, and then run the 3 miles home. However I barely won the mitten fight with E-man from the apartment to the subway station, so on the train we went. 30 minutes lost to smelly trains and lugging the stroller up and down subway stairs (I wonder how much mileage I can count the carrying the stroller up and down the steps for?).

Then at the gym with only an hour left in the time budget to use as wisely as possible, I forgot how boring the treadmill can be. But I pressed on. OK, a couple times I gave in to the bore and joined a spinning class instead.

End of week 2, I had completed 19 of 24 miles. Not bad compared to the 9 out of 22 the wk before. So this week, my goal is to run all of the 28 miles. No excuses left. OK, yeah I'm a single mom more than half the time. Yeah it's freezing cold and windy. Yeah, the treadmills boring. I dare not ask what else the universe can dish out to me. Oh right, the shin. The shin needs a rest.

Well day 2 of week 3, I've completed 6 miles so far. I will I will I will run 22 more. Come on shins, you can do it!

running moms best kept secret

I signed up for a gym membership this week and all I can say is: why did I not do this earlier!? OK, I've been a little afraid of putting my kid in the care of a stranger, but E-man is finally at that age were he NEEDS interaction with other people, especially other kids, way more than I need to hold onto my fears.

And I can check the daycare out at any time, it's just a few rooms away from where I'm working out.

The gym is 3 miles away so the plan was to run there, workout and run back...thus getting in a good 6 mile run with a 45-60 min workout of more running or something else in between (the train ride is about 20 min, so time-wise it's not much different). But it's been so dang cold, I had to take the train there and back so far.

Yesterday I took a spinning class. Actually I ran for half a mile, then took a spinning class, then ran for another mile and a half. It was so cold yesterday I was the only mom who was crazy enough to weather it. So E-man was alone in daycare, but he still had a blast exploring new and different toys.

I came home feeling awesome! I felt like I could conquer the world having the strength to take a spinning class...which is NO punk workout! then running a 10 minute mile, then carrying my stroller up the stairs because the lift was broken (note to self...never do an arm workout at the gym unless you know the elevator is working!).

Today I just ran. I forgot how boring the treadmill can be and I was pushing myself to see what I was capable of on a day when my butt was still very sore from yesterday's spinning class. But still it was great not pushing the jogging stroller, not fighting with E-man over keeping his mittens on only to have him start wailing when his poor little mitten-less hands get cold. No having to worry about anything at all. I knew E-man was happy playing with other kids (there were 3 very happy to see him kids when I got there!) I just ran for an hour. I actually got a runners high running on the freaking treadmill!

On the way home I picked up a pair of headphones because the treadmills each have their own private tv and I'm definitely gona need that to help w/ the bore factor.

This evening I was feeling a little under the weather emotionally and all I had to say to myself to cheer myself up was tomorrow morning I get to go back to the gym and workout while E-man has fun playing with the other kids. It's like a little gift I give to myself every day that makes everything else more bearable.

So moms, if you're feeling overwhelmed chasing your kids 24/7...find a gym with daycare and give it a try! It is so worth it! As for the price, if you have to make one meal a day peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, it's STILL worth it!!!

What Motivates Me to Run

This is a poem someone shared with me and I'd like to share it with you. I am not the author. I don't know who the author is, if anyone knows, please advise.

I have this hanging on my wall next to a picture of super woman, both a few feet away from my gaze when I look up from my computer. It inspires me to go out for a run whenever I'm having a bad day, or just need a little motivation.

Running...More than a sport...a passion...an adrenaline rush...a time to forget everything else and just...

Run...an action that describes so much...to push yourself...to never give up...to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, and nothing else...

A Runner...one who has confidence in oneself...one who will not give up...no matter what...one who knows their limit...but knows how to push themselves to surpass it...one will lace up their shoes and just...

Run...until your heart is pounding so hard that it is all you can hear...until you feel as if your legs will give out and you will collapse any second...until you feel your blood hot and pulsing through your veins...until you can forget all the pain and just...

Run.

ultra marathon training begins

This week my official ultra marathon training begins. I feel like a bit of a fake saying that, because it's only 3.8 miles more than a marathon, and next to some of my real ultra friends...ummmhhh...u know who you are...it is nothing. But for me 30 miles is a long way to go.

30 miles is when I finished the NYC marathon last year, and I could barely drag my legs up the subway steps, I'll still have 3.8 more to go.

30 miles is for the first time in my life, I will force myself to run through the winter, through the slushy streets of NYC and puddles of who knows what up to my ankles on every corner in order to train for my March 20th ultra marathon.

30 miles is running early enough in the day and not putting it off until it's too dark outside to run.

30 miles is running more than once in a single day so I don't keep E-man in the jogger for too long at a time.

30 miles means now I can give myself permission to feel ok about turning 30.

30 miles means, instead of the normal winter slump of holiday food and drinks and usual cheerfulness sprinkled with mopiness over increasing waist size, I will go out and conquer the winter, one day at a time, one run at a time, one step maneuvered around dog poop and yellowish snow at a time.

So week 1, on your mark, get set, go...goal for this week is to run a total of 22 miles. So far I have run 1 (hey it was my first run in the snow!)...21 miles to go...

NYC is Not that Big

Yesterday I met some of my running buddies for brunch at this delicious Greek Restaurant in Queens. I went there on the train with my stroller and had to walk up and down several flights of stairs, carrying E-man in the stroller. I had to take one train downtown, then transfer to another train and take it back up town and across Queens. That's mass transportation for you in NYC!

It seems to be the only way of getting around unless you have enough money to pay at least one of the city employees' salaries in parking tickets.

Or is it the only way to get around? My friend Roxanne drove me home and it only took about five minutes. I asked her to drive along my running route, and sure enough, it is only about a mile beyond where I usually run, a total of 2.37 miles away from my doorstep.

I started thinking, how many other places that I go to in a day or a week, can I run there instead of taking the train? I think running might even be easier then carrying a stroller up 4-8 flights of stairs per trip.

As for running, it will motivate me to run more because I'm going there anyway, so I may as well run there. And once I start running, I can't stop 'till I get there.

So I've decided that's going to be my new running adventure. When I go somewhere, instead of hopstoping it to see how to get there on the subway, I'm going to mapmyrun it to see the most direct running route there.

I share this with you because I bet you'd be surprised too at how many places that you ride or drive to in a day could easily be run instead. And it sure beats running the same old route every time.

How to Experience the Big O Every Time

I'm talking about the runners' big O, or in that case the big H. But if I sent your head straight to the gutter, don't feel bad, that's actually where mine is.

You see hubby travels on business a lot. This particular trip is lasting a month, and I am sure missing him, not just because I have no sitter for my kid while he is away.

But today as I was having yet another great run, it occurred to me that while the runners nigh is usually something I occasionally experience, I've been experiencing it on every single run, lately.

So of course I started thinking about how it is that this is happening and how I can make it keep happening and I can't really think of anything that I'm doing different...except one thing...hubby is out of town so I'm not getting any.

I heard boxers aren't supposed to get it on the night before a big competition, well maybe this applies to all sports. Now, I'm not saying I will continue this practice when hubby gets back, but at least now I know, I can depend on a different kind of high while he's away.

And let me tell you, the runners high is worth bundling up you and your kid and dragging the jogging stroller out the door for!

What does it take?

I have a blue, long-sleeved, polyester t-shirt in my drawer that I got from running the NYC marathon. It says, "What does it take?" Every once in a while I see other people wearing that same shirt, usually when I'm running in Central Park, some of them are running too, some of them are limping along, and I always ask myself when I see it,

"What DOES it take?"

Here's what I've come up with so far...feel free to chime in...

...It takes believing in yourself and others no matter how many times you are disappointed.

...remembering to always pack an extra bottle and a change of clothes all the way down to coat, shoes and socks.

...giving it all the heart, soul and strength you can muster up and then mustering up a little more in order to push your screaming baby-stuffed jogging strller up the stairs of the broken-elevator subway station, without glaring at all the passerby's who are too busy living their own lives to notice that you could use a hand.

...using those little muscles on the side of your mouth to greet a paserby with a smile, never knowking just how much that smile meant to the other person, and when you want to hiss or frown or say something under your breath, it takes putting in even more effort and once again, smiling instead.

...knowing when to be a supermom and when to ask for help.

...knowing that no one owes you anything, and you don't owe anyone anything, and then giving generously when you can and appreciating those who also do so.

...knowing when to take constructive criticism and when to tell the nosy intruder to mind their own business.

...knowing when to run, when to walk and when to take a nap.

...knowing when to treat yourself and when to apply some self-control.

...remembering to stretch and always carry a snack, water and body glide.

...knowing that it's all up to you but being flexible enough to roll with the punches.

...knowing that your best run can happen on your worst training day and your worst run can happen on race day, but always remembering that you are more than a single run, even a single run that you've trained for all year long.

...being able to acknowledge and encourage a slower or faster runner without diminishing yourself or them.

...knowing that 26.2 (or even 13.1) miles is hard, no matter how well you've planned and trained, but it's even harder if you give up before you've crossed the finish line and decide to be a grump about it.

...knowing when to give a time out and when to give a hug.

...all the little choices, day in and day out, in a world that seems to be crumbling around us all the time, and where it seems that it doesn't matter whether you choose the right or the wrong and half the time, you have no idea what is right or wrong any more anyway, it takes not being one of the rude, insensitive, lazy, selfish perves, and instead putting the time and effort into making what you know to be the right choice, every time, all the time.

...It takes waking up every day and saying to yourself, no matter how miserable, exhausted, confused or overwhelmed you feel, "Today, I will earn my happiness, I will earn the right to exist and thrive on this planet where others have lost or even given freely their lives so that I might live," and then doing just that, no matter the cost.