When I was a little girl, I had a huge poster of the New York City skyline hanging across my bedroom wall. I loathed my canopy bed (so much so, I once disassembled it and left at the top of my driveway, as trash) as well as the pastel flower wallpaper that surrounded me. All of this hideous decor was chosen by my mother. The poster was something I chose, and one thing I was allowed to have, to show the room belonged to me.
I used to lay in bed and look at that poster and dream of living in the city someday. My dad would often take me out of school and into the city with him when he had meetings there. Those days were some of the best of my childhood.
The funny thing is I never once dreamed I would be running though the city streets as part of the New York City Marathon. I thought only crazy people did that. I was kind of right…
My level of excitement for this race has been building for weeks months, and I think I my burst when I enter the city limits today.
I was already this excited at 5 days out. Send help.
After a long talk with my coach – that was exasperating for her – we came to these conclusions and strategies for the big, bad, amazing, inspiring, crazy race:
BE SMART
My thoughts: I’m of course worried about going out too fast and have heard it’s easy to do on this course. I thought I should hold back and stay below the pace I want to hold, at least for the first several miles.
Coach’s thoughts: Instead of holding back, she encouraged me to roll with the miles, as long as I have a steady effort. She wants my focus to be on effort and not pace, something a certain elite told me on an epic half marathon not too long ago.
The plan: Take advantage of some easy fast miles in the beginning, as long as I’m not overexerting myself. I’m not going to look at my watch until a few miles in and just ease into the race, keeping a consistent effort and knowing I have many, many fast miles ahead.
My mantra for the first half will be “patience.”
BE BRAVE
My thoughts; I can hold a consistent 7:50 pace for a 3:25 finish. I’m worried I haven’t completed enough long runs at pace and may crash into the wall in the last 4-6 miles as I did in New Jersey last spring.
Basically I was saying I wanted to run conservatively because I’m scared and coach called bullshit.
Coach’s thoughts: She knows I’m a total head case and I think she wanted to jump through the phone and shake me. She reminded to to think of all the things I have accomplished and forget about what was left undone. She thinks I’m giving the long runs too much emphasis and not realizing what it took to run the Maine half marathon in 1:32 and all 26.2 miles of the Runner’s World racing weekend.
The plan: I need to go for it. It will be hard and it will hurt and I will want to give up but I need to at least try. I need to set a big, scary goal and see what I can do.
These are the notes from our conversation. Yes, I took notes.
BELIEVE
My thoughts: I know I can run a super fast half-marathon and, based on my half PR (1:28) I should be able to run a much faster marathon then I have. BUT, I feel like I need much more training, long runs and time. I’m good with any PR at this point…or not…I just want to enjoy the race because it’s the New York City marathon.
Coach’s thoughts: I told her my bib number and start time and she asked how I managed to get in such a high corral. I told her it was based on my NYC Half Marathon time of 1:29 and they actually have my predicted finish time as 3:15. And then I laughed. She did not.
She went on to say she had that same time written down and she thinks I’m capable of it.
Well shit.
The plan: It doesn’t matter if CRS or the NYRR think I can finish in 3:15 if I don’t. I need to believe I can do it.
I believe.
[Tweet “What do you need to PR the @NYCMarathon? Smarts. Courage. Belief. #LetsDoThis #TCSNYCMarathon”]
You have no idea how ridiculously nervous this makes me, but I’m being brave and believing in myself and all that crap, so here is my race day tracking information:
BIB #8054
Blue Wave 1 Corral D | 9:50am start time
Good luck to everyone racing this weekend and I will see you on the other side…
Any last words of advice for me?
When is the last time you did something that scared you?
I know you can do this. You know you can do this. You can do hard shit. Believe in yourself and run the crap out of that race like only you can. Go get it girl!!!!!!!!!!!
You know it! Thanks Angela!!
I’m excited for you. You’ve been training hard and deserve a PR. I can’t wait to see how your hard work pays off!
Thanks Hollie!! I can’t wait either…
I can totally see you getting that 3:15!! If anything the immense crowds will bring you to a fantastic finish 🙂 I loved the story of your bedroom poster 🙂 I sure hope to see you later on today if not I will be cheering you on! I start much later at 11 and I will likely not even be at the village by the time you start but know that I am rooting all the way for you!!
I’m counting on the crowds!! Hope to see you soon but if not, I’ll be tracking you to the finish!
You got this, Girl! Suck in all the energy and excitement from that fabulous city and store it inside you to pull you through those tough miles. The good thing about NYC is there is a never ending supply from all of the fabulous spectators so you will never run out. Thank God for giving you a body capable of completing such an amazing feat. Oh yeah, and swing your arms. Your legs will follow what your arms do. Have a blast out there. I will be cheering you on from Michigan!
I bet I will hear you!!! And I’m counting on the crowds to pull me though the last hard miles!! Thank you so much Amy!
Oh yeah!!! You can totally do this. You are strong and you have put in the hard work. I am so excited for you!!!!!
YES ! YES ! YES!… BELIEVE in yourself…. like I DO !… You can do this Allie.. it’s just another race…. your head is telling you it’s the NYC Marathon… get it out of there… just go…. take in all the beautiful scenery and just run…… Pretend you are just running in your neighborhood.. RELAX… cuz when you do that and put NO PRESSURE on yourself you do BEST !..
You’re an amazing woman and an elite althete.~ just trust in ALLLLLLL of your hard training and ENJOY the experience..!! I don’t know anyone who trains as HARD as you do !
YOU CAN DO THIS !!!!!
I LOVE YOU and will be there with you !!… NOW GO GET EM !!!….
Auntie Carla
You always say all the right things!!! I will absolutely take it all in and enjoy the experience no matter what!! I love you and I’ll be talking to you when it’s all over!!!
If anyone can finish STRONG and at a 3:15 – that person would be YOU!!! You make things happen, Allie!! Just pretend Tina Muir is by your side and run your heart out!! Every time I read your blog I smile and have tears of joy for you!! I tune my husband out when I’m reading your blog and then I have to fill him in. It’s all about Allie ya know. LOL! I’ll be cheering you on from North Carolina!! Have an awesome race!
I will definitely be channeling Tina’s ghost!!! I love that you are so focused on my blog – hahaha!!! You know I so appreciate you Tiffany!! Thank you.
AH! I want to come run it with you so we can pace each other!!!! I am going to be following you and cheering for you the whole way!!!!! You can TOTALLY do this!
I am doing something scary in 2 weeks :)!
My advice….just run! You can give me the same advice in 2 weeks 🙂
That would just be the best if we could pace each other!!! Thank you for the perfect advice and I’ll be looking to give it right back to you in two weeks. Until then.. Happy taper to you!
You can do it!! Run a smart race, give it your all, and soak it in. I look forward to tracking you on race day!
Thanks so much! I will !
On paper, you’ve totally got this. In your heart and in your head–that, too. Go get it, Allie!
It’s all about the heart and head after mile 20 as you well know. I will be ready! Thank you so much Amanda!
I totally believe you can do it!! I was nailing paces for a solid 3:20 marathon two years ago (that I never ran) but you are running faster than that. Yes- go for it!! So, so excited for you!!
OMG that makes me feel infinitely better! Just what I needed to read. Thanks Laura!
Good luck!! I will start 50 min after you and run about 2 hours slower than your predicted finish. When you feel the wall be inspired by the slow and steady back of the pack. They don’t give up or give in and neither should you. Go chase a PR and enjoy the millions of spectators. Worse thing that happens is you don’t reach your goal. But that doesn’t mean you should ever not try as hard as you can to reach them.
-Sally (49524 wave 3 corral a green. 5 hours for 5 boros is my motto 🙂
I am always inspired by the slow and steady!!! And you are so right – I’m not afraid to fail (been there, done that!) but I can’t be afraid to try!!!! Good luck Sally! I absolutely love your motto!
Have I told you lately how excited I am for you??? I totally believe that you’ve got this!! Because you DO HAVE THIS. PS I love Carla’s comment so much. xoxoxo
Yes you have 🙂 but I never get tired of hearing it!
Also, that comment is my AUNT Carla…not to be confused with Carla B:-)
ha! Either way, I love the Carlas in your life. PS are you wearing your Oiselle singlet?
Me too 🙂
Yes! I’ll be wearing my Oiselle singlet!
Good luck Allie! You got this! I am also running NYC 26.2 this Sunday but I am at a much later corral.
Lois
Thank you and best of luck to you too!!!
Take it all in…. enjoy….. remember all of us who wish we could be running, too:)
I wish you all the best as you race this weekend and most importantly, have fun!
I will! Thank you.
Woo hoooooo!!! I can’t wait to see how you do. And what you eat after. LOL! Good luck!!!
I cannot tell you how excited I am to eat afterward! And, not just right after the race, but for like the next two weeks! 🙂
Good luck!!! I will be out there cheering and hopefully at Mile 15 early enough to catch you 🙂
Awesome!!! I’ll be in my Oiselle singlet 🙂 thank you!!
You’ve got this! Not only does your training show you can run a 3:15, but most of all you have the heart and determination for it! Enjoy the race and enjoy NYC!
Allie that gave me goosebumps because I guessed you’d run a 3:15. I am seriously so freaking excited for you. Keep your mantras and your positive thoughts in mind when you hit the Hasidic neighborhood in Williamsburg (around mile 10 from memory) because that can get a little eerily quiet. I am so so so so so excited for you!!!!! I will be tracking you and Nellie on the day. I am almost a little choked up, ladycake. xoxox
Oh I can’t believe it is actually here! Sometimes I catch myself and think I’m a little too excited and need to control myself a bit more….but then I think it’s the NYC marathon and of course I’m this excited 🙂 🙂 🙂 Yes – BELIEVE! I think it is so easy for fear or doubt to hold us back and we need to break through that to see what’s on the other side. You’ve done all the hard work, go soak up the reward – you’ve totally got this!
Any last words of advice?
Take Tina along with you in your head, and the bracelet too! Let her run along side and in front of you
“We started out too fast. By mile two (two!) I was breathing heavy, thinking all the wrong things and Tina could sense it. She told me to slow up and, even if we ran the first two miles in 7:30, I could still make up the time. It was in that moment I started to relax, listen to her voice and just let go“.
You’re about to smoke the field, You just don’t know it yet. I think it bears mention You might entertain repeating what you did at Bethlehem 13.1 (whether by chance or design); The 1st mile was the slowest, the last mile was the fastest with a 102sec span. I just don’t think it’s necessary to go THAT slow the 1st few miles for you, maybe 7.30-7.45pc. Don’t let that bib ruin your flawless tactical race.
-Your words: ‘It was hard. Really, really, really fucking hard’, to which Tina retorts ““This is the hard part. It’s supposed to feel hard. Everyone is feeling this. This is where all your cross-training comes in. This is what separates you Allie. You are so strong! You are running a great race. All you need to do is keep this going and you will be so proud of this effort later today. This gives me goose bumps thinking of you absorbing this at the time you felt like pucking! I just thought this was so brilliant!!!!!!!!!!
The last time I did something that scared me? 1st time I jumped out of a jet in the military. My life flashed in front of my eyes, I questioned my sanity, I was truly scared shitless! B4 I went out the door, I remember thinking I’d rather run an entire Marathon on empty with a monkey on my back!
I think 3.15 is totally in your zip code.
Can we follow you live with your bib#? I’m so excited for you:)))))))))))))))
Woo hoooo, Allie’s about to PR!!!!!!!
I’m so excited for you!! You’ve worked so hard!! Last words of wisdom: relax into the discomfort and let your inner animal loose! You got this!’
OMG, you have totally got this. She’s right, you need to believe and I believe that is what everyone told me at MCM. But when my legs didn’t want to, I stopped believing and I think that’s what did me in in the end. You are totally capable of this and I know how bad you want it. Read the Runner’s World book the night before and get that mental game up to snuff!! So excited for you and can’t wait to hear how it goes!! xoxoxox
Getting that 3:15 would not surprise me one bit. Good luck!
The fact that you are going to step across that finish line is the biggest accomplishment! I bet you kill your time and finish where you think you will. Best of luck!!!!