I was so surprised last week. I did 6 miles over at the Waterfront site, after two weeks of running on my own (due to necessity- being in NYC and also just being bummed).
Just because I'd been missing the waterfront/mall/museum mile runs, on Saturday when I arrived, I said I'd do the run with the slowest group (17 minute miles) just to be on the safe side. Plus, and this was my real issue, they were doing the 1/3 ratio that I'm in love with. I did 15 minute miles on the run1walk3, so that's my gig and I'm stickin' with it. Since they try to keep us at about 1 minute behind our actual pace, I was supposed to be running 16 min. miles anyhow.
So, why'd we end up doing 15:30 miles for SIX MILES? And that's the raw split time, not even counting my partner Mickey's potty break, or the fact that we walked a couple laps due to the heat. Seriously? Coach was right- 6 miles was way easier than one! I wanted to keep running when we were through. I actually had a problem at one point- I wasn't sweating. The nicest vendor in front of the National Museum of Natural History gave me a handful of ice, no charge. That was refreshing.
Mickey loved that it felt like we had the city to ourselves. And it did- no tourists for the first time in a while. The mall hasn't been killed by the heat, so everything is green, and we run pretty early. Toward the end we had to slow up to let a HUGE group of 8th graders (said the t-shirts) cross the street in front of the Grant Statue.
My maintenance runs this week were similarly breezy. I just took myself up to the Wal-Mart on Rt 1 (hey, it's an easy landmark) and back home.
Now, I was supposed to be at the Waterfront today to do 7 miles, but I slept in. No, don't frown at me, don't boo me- I was writing, stuffing, and sealing envelopes for my fundraiser! So if you're reading this, know that you probably got your letter at the expense of a group run.
I'm making a treat of going to Huntley Meadows park tomorrow to run under that shady canopy instead. For 7 miles. And I'm going to move up to a 1/2 because if I can clock 15:30 at a slow 1/3, I need to push up the effort a little.
And I'm excited! Who'd've thought I could do 6 miles at one time so easily? Man, if I get the $2100 in time, 13.1 is gonna be a piece of cake!
Well, I certainly hope things improve.
My determination notwithstanding, I haven't run as much as I need to in order to stay on track. And my fun-draising isn't off the ground.
Yet.
See, I lost my job, and though I am sooooo employable, haven't got a new one. I also went to see my grad school to see if I'd go. I'm going, God willing, with a lot of loans.\
So, I did my 4-miler in NYC with my very-good friend and former co-teacher (read: ganger-up on student-er) Maggie, in Thomas Jefferson park. Let me pause here and say that I LOVE the NYC park system and can't WAIT to do my last long run before the marathon there.
If I do the marathon. Got a month to raise $1,000- and no handy co-worker base to work with. I'm working on that.
Now is a good time to head over to that side-bar and donate, before I blitz you with letters and calls and emails! You can fend me off better if you've already helped.
Ah, yes, tonight the half-hour run will be so good….
So, the "group" run today was our last solo style run. We did 3 miles; I'm both pleased and ashamed to say that I came in under 15 mins/mile. (did it in 44:10).
On one hand, that's wayyyy better than I did last week. Last week was shameful. I don't even want to think about it. So coming in under 15 mins per mile was great, esp. when you count being held up by traffic lights and tourists and such over by the mall.
On the other hand, I can just hear my crew coaches yelling at me from the past:" c'mon, Marisa, you can push better than that! You should be doing a 10-minute mile!!" Ah, yes, ghosts of fitness past.
I was tired but able to walk home. DIdn't sweat much, tho, and that's got to change if I'm gonna keep running.
Now, for fundraising…
Hi! Thanks for stopping in!
Wait, don't leave yet! You have the opportunity to build on something good before you go. Or at least learn a story to pass along.
I'm Marisa. I'm 24 years old; and currently I live in Alexandria, VA, right outside Washington, DC. I'm really excited to be training to run my first 1/2 marathon ever, with the National Aids Marathon Training Program. You're here for my first steps, something historic, at least for me. Thanks for coming.
I'm going to finish this marathon in memory of Imette St. Guillen, my friend and GWU c/o 2003 classmate, who was killed earlier this year. She was a smart, funny, and determined person, so I think my training and this cause will serve her memory well. And I'll be sure to tell you guys about Imette as the miles go by.
My run is a fundraiser to benefit the Whitman-Walker Clinic here in DC. They're a major provider of ahem, affordable health care in this area. And they're the principal provider of AIDS care here. Since 1 in 20 people here in the District- yes, I said One in Twenty- have HIV or AIDS, the clinic serves a significant part of this city. I've been hearing about them since I came to DC to start at GW in '99. The clinic is struggling for funding this year.
No, Imette didn't have AIDS. But she was spontaneous and compassionate. I believe she'd probably run with me.
I can't think of a better way to take action or a better cause to serve Imette's memory.
Here's the deal: the goal is to raise at least $2,500 for this marathon. (if you can't click on this, go to AidsMarathon.com, click on Support a Runner for WDC, and enter runner number 0698.) That's what I'm here to do. The super-awesome goal is $5,000. Why those numbers? Well, Imette died five days before her 25th birthday. And I, along with the majority of our c/o 1999/2003 classmates, will turn 25 this year. We can do that much. But if we don't have $2,100 banked by July 5th, the clinic keeps the cash, which is all good, but I won't have earned entry into the marathon, and so I won't cross that finish line for Imette and all those who live in the District with AIDS.
So this blog is going to be one of many ways to reach out. You can click here to donate toward our $2,500 goal. My runner number is 0698. I've also started a letter-writing campaign. So if you've ever known me, get ready for a letter or an email to come your way, even if you haven't seen me in about 10 years. It's worth it.
This blog, I must confess, is also a way to record my thoughts and feelings and where I'll come for the "you can do it!" cheerleading and ideas when charlie horse and sore hammies hit. I mean, I was on the crew team when I was undergrad, but that was a while ago. Now I sit at a desk all day. And I never before ran, walked, or otherwise used my feet to go 14 miles in one go.
The first group run was this past Saturday, May 6th. It was a rush to be there, but it was only a mile run. I've got two training sessions this week of half an hour. Those are where the journey really starts.
This is the challenge of a lifetime that I'm taking up to honor a wonderful woman. Thanks for sharing this- and your support- with me.
~Marisa
