It's Taper Time!

Hey, yall!
This isn't the big marathon prep post, I'll do that over the weekend. Just a couple of shout-outs and a quick update.

The latest additions to the Fred's Team Honor Roll are

HOWARD AND EDYTHE SCHAERF
TAMI SWARTZ

bringing the total that will go to the Aubrey Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research at MSKCC to

$5,761

Dear Honor Roll members, I cannot wait to do you all proud!

SIGNS THAT THE MARATHON IS APPROACHING:
The bleachers are up in Central Park
"Marathon Route" signs are on the lampposts on Central Park South
Hotel prices have tripled


It's been a great week. Not only is the marathon right around the corner, I passed my first 160 wpm test in steno. So good omens all around! Now, whoever can put a good word in to keep it from raining...

No regularly scheduled Team workouts, sigh. So on Monday night I went for a leisurely jog around the rez at sunset, my favorite time to be there. Sunrise and sunset at the top of the rez, there's nothing like it. Turned out to be about 6 miles.

Tuesday at 5:30 I got an email saying that a few people were going for a run at 6:45, if I wanted to join in. Now, I got this email not from the instigator of the run, but from someone who was going. So I didn't realize until I set out to meet them that I didn't know where the group would be meeting, only that it would be somewhere near 72nd Street. I figured they'd meet at Tavern, and since the bleachers were up, it would be a logical place. So I went to the bleachers, had a great stretching session, and ... no one. Where was everyone? (sigh.) I started doing an easy fartlek around the lower loop (it's a speed workout with no set intervals -- I was using the lampposts) and as I hit the transverse, there they were, they had just started a five-miler so I joined in. Once again, the group was a faster than I am, but since they were taking it easy, I was able to keep up with them, and it felt great. When we got to 102nd Street I cut off at the transverse because I didn't want to do six miles, only five. Even without the group pushing me, I kept the pace going back down to Tavern, then turned around and went back to the transverse to wait for the other folks. I know, I know, these are supposed to be easy runs, but it was only for a few miles and I wasn't trying to do anything except see that I could do it. Check out my pace on the sidebar -- under a 9 minute mile!

Speaking of asides, David was wearing his Irn Bru shirt. Irn Bru is the Gatorade of Scotland. It smells, and tastes, like bubblegum. Did I mention it was carbonated? Definitely worth trying -- once.

Wednesday, the trifecta at Longevity. It felt great. Thanks to them my tendonitis is mostly gone. My leg still feels a little funny when I run -- that may be some sciatica, but it ain't nothing I haven't dealt with before.

Also on Wednesday, a trifecta NY celebrity sighting. By this I mean not because it's in NY, but that only in NY would anyone be able to spot these people and know who they are. Don't believe me?
Marian Seldes
Fran Lebowitz
That guy who plays the assistant medical examiner on "Law and Order"

Am I right?
(okay, maybe the L&O guy isn't really a celebrity, but I did spot him! )

Thursday, the second cool day of fall. HOORAY! After school I dashed out for a quickie. That sounds dirty. Alas, just a run up to Road Runners to pick up my gack for the Poland Spring race. On the way there, I was really conscientious about holding myself back, and once I got there, I did a loop around the bridle path just to get that slow pace into my bones. 3.6 miles, 36 minutes. Slow and perfect. Picked up the pace on the way back -- it was getting late and I needed to get home and change for the Fred's Team Q & A at MSKCC. I loved going to this event last year because it's one of the few times in the year that we get to see each other wearing "normal people" clothes. This year, same thing. Jeff and Annie led a q & a about what we should be doing these last couple of weeks: what we should be eating, things to take with us on the day, what to expect, what we should do if it rains, etc. It was good to hear it. Afterwards a few of us went out for dinner nearby.

My main concern is that now that I'm not pushing myself, my body might think it's time to relax and get sick, especially with my classes sounding more like a TB ward. Dr. Noah (acupuncturist) hooked me up with some herbal support, and today I got a flu shot. For some reason, Dr. Thornton had a giant bag full of Starbucks pastries, and she gave me a piece of chocolate-chip poundcake. I'm not supposed to be eating sweets right now, but you know, it WAS medically prescribed...

Next time, all the info you'll need to know about the marathon, the final contest, and more...