The Joe Nation 2007 NYC Marathon Log

Good for you, Joe!

As for me, I have already sent out press releases to all the local newspapers and TV stations announccing that I will not be participating in this April's Boston Marathon. I know it will disappoint my large fan base but they'll just have to deal with it.

(The fact that I didn't run last year, either, or -- in fact -- that I have never run a marathon is really irrelevant.)

Standing in the support line! Persevere!

Andrew - it's only sensible, you know!

Running is a fine exercise. When and if I get retired, I plan to take it up. Just now, I spend the working day walking constantly and ascending innumerable sets of stairs, so haven't the stamina to consider trotting anywhere, especially any marathons.

Joe,
What is your training schedule so far? Do you have a running partner or are you doing this on your own? I'll be running in Seattle every Saturday morning but I'm more leisurely than you, I just make 3 miles and then I'm ready for coffee. What a great goal to set for yourself! Cheering you on from the west coast!!!!!!!!!!

Joe, I'm impressed as hell. One question. Why do you have to schlep to Central Park? Why not run a little closer to home? Fort Tryon or Inwood. Not that Central Park isn't a great place to be. Just wondering about the additional schelp.

I'll make a note of your number and look for you as you head into Central Park, down to CPS, and then up to the finish line.

Go Joe.

I love these threads!

Not to put a wrinkle on this, but my father fought Japan to keep people from having to do what Joe describes.

Rock on Joe! You're a better man than I... and apparently a healthier one too.

Now the fun stuff begins, Joe!

I hate treadmills. Just can't use them. But I won't run outside when the
temperature is under 20 F. Which means I've been doing my aerobic
stuff on the rower and the stationary bike. Ack.

Weather.com tells me that it is 36 degrees F here in Chelmsford.

Time to hit the streets.

This thread now has the distinction of being the only one on which I am actually getting e-mail updates. Be proud, Joe.

How long is the marathon Joe?

I run 5 miles 3 days a week and ride a bike 20 miles 3 days a week. I wonder if I could do it? I run on machines, bike on a real bike and do spin classes.

What are your training goals? What do you need to be able to do?

Isn't the classic marathon 26.2 miles? I think less than that gets other names, like 10K. Not that you asked me, I'm just piping up.

This by way of bookmark and to say I liked the first installment a lot. Puts us right there in place, brrrrrrr, at least at first.

Very cool, joe! You know I'll be cheering and pushing you on <right from the comfort of my chair>.

In the words of Rosanna Rosannadana "You guys sure ask a lot of questions... ."

Marty asked:

Right now I am doing about 20+ miles a week, mostly in three and fives with a longer run on either Friday or Sunday.
Steady miles Su0 M3 T3 W5 T0 F8 Sa5
OR
Speedy miles Su10 M0 T3 W3 T3 F5 Sa0
or some combination of both.

The frigidness of the recent three weeks has burned a hole in the long runs leaving me a bit short. I really haven't started training in earnest yet and won't until I can get out of doors without my nose freezing off. (This morning's temps were milder and I jogged a mile from the subway to the gym and did two more on the [ugh] treadmill at 9:30 per mile setting. That is pretty slow for most but not me. I want to increase my speed to the low eight minutes per mile but probably won't hit that until mid-summer.

Roberta next

I've have a couple of training runs in Fort Tryon, but as you know that park is all ups and downs. The "big loop" along the East side near Broadway has a lung busting hill up to the back end of the Cloisters, but you finish with this view.


I've also tried the backroads in Inwood but it's spooky being in the woods all by yourself. (For those who don't believe that there is wilderness in New York City, I invite you to wander through Inwood Park, but not alone and not in the early mornings.

I also run up and down the Hudson River from the George Washington Bridge to the Park at 79th Street.
(When I was getting ready for last year's HALF Marathon's I ran from the Pan at 23rd Street to my apartment near 184th and Broadway a couple of times. That's close to 12 miles)

The real reasons for training in CenPark are
1) I can get off the A at 59th, run a bunch of different routes and finish either back at the A or over on the East side for the 6 train which drops me off at my gym's door.
2) good sources of water
and 3)lots of people even at 5:25AM.

George:

I don't know how people run on them day after day. I have to play with the speed button or the incline button or something to keep my head from exploding from the boredom. Worse is the selection of TV channels, six news programs -two in Spanish- and a couple of MTA-VH1. Recently I have been bringing my books on tape and running on the treadmills that have no monitors.

What are your running plans this year, George?

Bi-polar Bear


A marathon is 26 miles and 385 yards. The hardest part is the 385 yards.
I think with an increase in training miles to about 35 a week would put you pretty close to being ready. Don't try to increase your mileage by more than 10 per cent at any one time.
What I want to do right now is just get back in the groove of steady and speedy miles, slowing building both speed and distance until I am doing a constant forty miles a week at sub-eight minute miles. (When I was 30 I ran sub-sevens, I'd really like to see if I could do that again. I'm 59 for another two months.)

I also want to shave another 30 pounds off of my fat ass.

Joe(just checked the weather. Going to rain tomorrow. Good)Nation

Joe, I know about the hills in Fort Tryon. I thought that might be a good thing. Get you ready for the last 385 yards in the park--all uphill. What fuhkockta sadist thought that up?

The length of a marathon was at first not fixed, since all that was important was that all athletes competed on the same course. The exact length of an Olympic marathon varied depending on the route established for each venue.



You are able2know:

Wikipedia says:

The choice of distance was somewhat arbitrary. The first modern Olympics in 1896 had a marathon distance of 40.8 km. The marathon at the 1908 Olympic Games in London began at Windsor Castle and was extended by 385 yards from its set 26 miles so that the runners would cross the finish line in front of the Royal family's viewing box in the Olympic arena, so the length became 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards). For the next Olympics in 1912, the length was changed to 40.2 km and changed again to 42.75 km for the 1920 Olympics. Of the first 7 Olympic games, there were 6 different marathon distances between 40 and 42.75 km (40 km being used twice).

A fixed distance of 42.195 km was adopted in 1921 by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) as the official marathon distance - Rule 240 of their Competition Rules.

======
The Central Park uphill part was the idea of Fred Lebow probably or maybe the owners of the Tavern on the Green.


Joe(pass the pasta)Nation

Joe, Your training regimen sounds impressive. This is a massive commitment. I wish you well, kid. I'll be rooting for you.

I did about 3 miles yesterday following the perimeters of the parking lots in
this industrial ghetto. Today I'm at home and I put in 4 miles in a loop
through town. The snow and ice are starting to melt producing a variety of
miserable surfaces for running. My feet were saoked by the time I got home.