Monday, March 22, 2010

Runner's high.

As I stood shivering in my tank top in the half-light of Sunday morning, I couldn't help but wonder, "Why in the world am I doing this again?" Like, maybe when I had signed up a few months earlier to run 13 miles, I hadn't been seriously considering how comfortable my bed is. I wondered how many of the other 11,000 people there were thinking the same thing. But after training for weeks and quickly destroying the cold virus that had threatened me earlier in the week (including some Googling to contradict my friend's claim that high volumes of Vitamin C can lead to kidney stones), I wasn't about to turn back.

Thankfully, it was a beautiful day for a run, with clear skies and a cool breeze. My favorite part of the race was around mile 8, when--after coming out of Central Park and before turning down the West Side Highway toward the site of the World Trade Center--the course took us through midtown. There's something about being in a sea of runners going through Times Square while total strangers cheer you on that is pretty hard to beat. It was the perfect adrenaline boost for the last half of the race.


(Incidentally, my second favorite part was the group of people around mile 11 holding a sign that read "High Five Station" and slapping our hands as we ran past.)

My goal for my first one was basically to not die, which I managed pretty well and finished in 2 hours 20 minutes. This time, I was shooting for 2 hours. My official finish time was 2:00:23. I'll take it. And besides, I'll have a chance to break the 2-hour mark in 9 weeks, when I run the Brooklyn half marathon. I'm taking a week off while I hobble around on ridiculously sore legs like an 80-year-old, and then it's back to training. I think maybe I'm a glutton for punishment.

11 comments:

  1. Running... for 2 hours...

    This sounds like torture.

    But good for you :)

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  2. You are a sexy beast of a woman, and I am so proud of you, again.

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  3. Running for 2 hours sounds ridiculous to me and way harder than sitting on a bicycle seat for 8 hours! Way to go!

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  4. Congrats!!

    I was out running Saturday morning and I thought of you and said a prayer for you.

    Here's to a sub-two in Brooklyn!

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  5. I'm so impressed, lady! So awesome. When there's not a small creature forming inside me, I think I'm seriously going to try running. Maybe. ;)

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  6. I feel like poop. It is 10 o'clock at night and I just ate 2 waffles instead of going to the gym. I say I am running a half this year but then days like today happened and I just eat instead. But then, I read this post and it made me want to run and show off to people in the crowd.

    I'll go running tomorrow.

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  7. P.S. I'm really proud of you for reaching your goal. Good job girl.

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  8. a glutton for punishment with killer arms! as i drudged through 3 (yes ONLY 3) miles at the gym tonight and hated it i thought "i wonder is ostler likes mile 3..."

    looks like you do.

    GREAT JOB!

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  9. Sorry, I'm behind and just saw this...but congrats! That seems almost as hard as playing Call of Duty for 6 hours straight.

    -Jeff

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  10. HEY! I just heard back from one of the internships I applied to at the International Center of Photography! So cross your fingers that I'll be there sooooon!

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  11. remember when we lived together and i asked you if you wanted to go running with me, like all the time and you would say no? hate that i'm not living with you now... :)

    congrats on your huge achievement! muah!!

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