Surviving the Philly Marathon and Beyond

My Sorta Running Tattoo

2012-02-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last July, I got my 4th tattoo. Obviously I've wanted to blog about before now, but for some reason I kept pushing it off.

I had wanted to get another tattoo for a while, but wasn't exactly sure what I wanted. Then, it hit me. As I was sitting in yoga class one morning, the teacher started talking about the concept of Sadhana. Although I was weary of getting something in a different language tattooed on my body I loved the concept too much to let it go. In fact, one of the tattoo artists in the shop walked by and saw my tattoo in progress, and when I told her what it meant, she said "Oh! I know about that. You're brave...once you get that term in your mind, you can never get it out."

After about 90 minutes.

Sādhana

According to Yoga Word Wise: (emphasis mine)

Sādhana is the practice by which the desired end may be achieved. By sādhana the sādhaka, one who practices, achieves the state of fearlessness. Sādhana bestows the supreme and imperishable knowledge.

Meaning

Sādhana means to consciously take part in one’s own spiritual growth and maturity by exerting self-effort. Sādhana requires that we engage in some form of self-study, that we use some form of yogic or meditative technology, and that we have a goal that elevates our energy and consciousness.

The yoga texts state that first condition for sādhana is faith (in the knowledge of self-transformation.) The second is the will and determination to achieve the goal, mental power and determination....The fourth condition is perseverance; keep going and do not stop until the goal is attained, however long it takes.

Application

To be successful, first you have to determine your true needs. Then you need to evaluate your inner strengths, abilities and vulnerabilities and your life circumstances, at this time in your life. Once you know this, create a goal and make a resolve to follow through to attain your goal. Then apply sincere effort and unbroken practice.

I am probably the least spiritual/religious person you'll meet, so the fact that this term struck me is kind of funny. At the time I was training for my second marathon, and it seemed like running encompassed all of these things. The marathon was my goal, and I knew in order to succeed I needed to let my fears go, and submit myself fully to my training. I needed dedication and I needed to believe that my training would carry me 26.2 miles. I know I definitely have interpreted the term a little differently in some ways, but that's fine for me. Any time I get frustrated it nice to think about the big picture of why I train as hard as I do. Even when I'm not training for a race I like to think that the things I do on a day to day basis helps me grow into a better person.

Running has become my way of creating perfection within myself. I'm sure for many of you running is just running, and that's fine, but I know some of you may realize that running is your Sadhana as well.

Finished up! Ouch.

NJ Winter Trail Series - The Not Half Marathon

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

So earlier this week I had the brilliant idea to run my first trail race--a half marathon--in the snow at that! I had no idea what to expect, but I knew it would be an "adventure" at the very least. I should have seen the foreshadowing when the Mazda rented from Zipcar couldn't get up the snowy hills in Hoboken....

See that? That was the trail. While it was beautiful, it was treacherous for a newbie like myself. Within the first half mile I twisted both ankles (one being the ankle I twisted two weeks ago during a run on the WSH which left me with lovely asphalt burn) a few times. I had put a pair of Yak Trax on my Adrenaline 11's for the race, but I'm not sure I was able to get any "traction" from them. I thought I'd try and tough it out. I was bundled up so much I wasn't even feeling that cold.

See? I did have fun. But by mile 2.5, where the first aid station was, I knew I had to bail. I asked the woman at the aid station what the quickest way to the finish line was. I had rolled both ankles countless more times, and took a lovely side fall. (Which hurt my ego more than it actually hurt me) Every step was a mystery. Was I going to step down on ice? A giant rock? Water? Each tweak of my ankles caused me great pain, and after tackling a 200ft hill around mile 4, my left hip was on fire. I was disappointed and frustrated that I couldn't finish the race, but I was grateful that I could sit in a warm car and change into dry clothes while the friends I drove out to Jersey with were finishing up. What was even more frustrating was seeing a guy wearing CARPIS fly past me.

Elevation map for the 5 mile loop.

A little brook that wasn't frozen. Or was it?

Regardless of my race, there was a well deserved beer at the end for me.

Waiting in the car for everyone else to finish up....sucked. Though no one made me feel bad about it, I still felt like a loser. I don't think I've ever cut a race short like that, but I knew for me, that was the only option. The worst part was when I finished my loop, the race organizer told me I was leading the women's half marathon. Sigh. Maybe one day.

How to start a New Year

2012-01-10T12:31:00.001-05:00

Um, have I really not blogged in the New Year? Looks like I should have made "blog more often" part of my new years resolution!

January has only been around for 10 days...but I have to admit it's been kind of amazing. I have been surrounded by some great people, doing some amazing things, and working on a scary-yet-exciting business venture.

But I've also started 2012 with a vengeance towards getting myself back in peak shape. I've made a bit of a dietary change (eating vegan during the week, relaxing it while still eating healthy on the weekends) I've also resumed core work and started adding in some interval training (Thanks to BodyRock & the Nike Training Club app!)

I got a bit of a rude awakening this morning, though. I had my body fat % measured. Like a lot of us, my scale at home has a "body fat %" mode where it will magically calculate your percentage of body fat by sending electric pulses through your feet or something. Mine always gave me a number in the high 20's or even 30. I thought this was utter BS. Turns out, not so much, as I was told mine was 26.7%. While the average for someone my age is 24%. I guess that isn't too bad, my BMI is well within a normal range, but it just seems like a lot of body fat. It's just another goal to work towards--getting that number under 25.

I have a general idea of how to do this, but I realize that I know more about how to lose weight (calories in < calories out) and not how to lose fat. I know I definitely need to add muscle and weights into the equation (good bye noodle arms! hello sexy quads!)

So there you guys have it. 2012, I'm gonna kick you in the butt!

Here's to 2012

2011-12-29T21:56:00.001-05:00

What a year this has been. I've set a PR in every distance I've run this year (3 mile, 5k, 4 mile, 10k, half, and full marathon) There are very few things I would change about this year running wise. In 2011 I ran 1081 miles, as compared to 800 in 2010.

Looking back at December of last year I can only find or two posts where I spoke about concrete goals I had for 2011. Here's one:

I would also love to find a 5k to see if I can break a 9 minute pace. Seems absurd that last year I ran the Wall Street run in a 9:20 pace.

Check! See Suds N Sunset 5k (8:39 pace) I know I also had the goal to run a 2:00 half marathon. My closest attempt was 2:03, which I think is pretty darn close.

So, for 2012 I am going to make some more concrete running resolutions.

- CONFIDENCE. Without a doubt, anyone who has been training with me this year will tell you I can run faster than I think I can. There have been conversations and bets behind my back! Enough! It's time to put all those doubts and fears aside and let myself embrace my inner honey badger.

- Be compassionate. I am only human. Sometimes I miss a workout. Sometimes I eat too much dessert. It's okay. Take a deep breath, and start over the next day where you left off.

- Sub 2:00 half. Oh yes.

- Run a 4 hour-ish marathon. I truly think I have a faster marathon time in me, it just happens that the NYCM and Brooklyn Marathon are very, very hilly. My gift to myself in 2012 is a flat(ter) marathon.

- Always wear sunscreen on my face! It's important, dummy!

There you go, my 2012 resolutions in a nutshell! What are some of the things that you've resolved to do next year?

Year End Wrap Up

2011-12-11T18:59:00.001-05:00

I know, I know, you must be thinking I am crazy. Year end wrap up?? There's still like two weeks till the end of the year, depending on when you read this post. But for all purposes, my year is over. I will be running (so far 1,042 miles) but not racing. Enjoying the off season.

It's time to start thinking about next years goals. I pretty much only have one goal: Get faster. Post marathons I've been running very slowly. I want to get myself back into the 9:30-as-my-easy-run range. I want to get back to my 8:40 5k pace, and then beat it. I now want a SUB-2 hour half marathon. Marathon goals? Oh, I don't know. We'll see. I think I will definitely race less. It seems like races in the NYC area are getting so much more expensive, while not giving us anything more in return.

I hope everyone is having a great December filled with lots of delicious foods and beverages. What are some of your goals for 2012?

The Beer Run (Winter Edition)

2011-12-04T18:40:00.001-05:00

I have a lot of really good friends who are runners. They also are a certain level of crazy (like myself) That is why I think we get along so well.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned my speedy ultramarathoner friend Claire. I'm pretty sure she loves beer way more than she loves running. She also put a ridiculous amount of effort into the 3rd Will Run For Beer Beer Run (the Winter 2011 edition) You can view all the cool places we ran to on her site, just in case you want to try and run it yourself. (Warning: Running while drinking beer is extremely fun, but it carries its own hazards in the urban jungle. Don't blame Claire and I if you get attacked by an angry dog, or a jealous homeless person.)

"You guys! I'm gonna take..a photo...while running!"

We were all looking forward to this weekend for months. We had all finished our marathons and were ready to celebrate. My friend Chis called it the "Runner Holiday Party"

Clearly my running photography skills need work.

Needless to say it was wonderful. Maybe good drinks were enjoyed with great company. And I certainly can't wait for the warmer, Spring edition to roll around again! I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

"Um, Matt, which beer do I want?

The men reign over their domain....

OMG SHAKE SHACK FINALLY!

Running for The Synder Twins

2011-12-02T10:01:00.000-05:00

Tuesday I heard some terrible news. It was the type of thing that didn't hit me at first, but once I heard the full extent of the story I was left truly heart broken. Jay Snyder is a voice over that comes into the facility I work at several times a month to do various recordings. A coworker had forwarded everyone the following information.

Michal Lura Friedman lost her life on Friday, November 25, 2011 in New York City, due to complications from a c-section shortly after delivering healthy twins, Jackson James and Reverie Vivian Snyder.
For those of you who never met her, Michal was a passionate, beautiful, talented woman who was thrilled to be pregnant with her first children. Many of you know “Michal the Girl” as a musician, but her greatest dream was to be a mother. Michal and Jay had been trying for the past seven years to make this dream come true. Michal was widely loved, and has left behind many friends, particularly in her Buddhist, musician and voice acting communities.

The more I read, and the more I looked at the images of the twins on my computer, the more devastated I became. The story was so tragic that it was hard to believe it was real. I wanted to do something for Jay and his twins, but I didn't know what it was. A few days had gone by and a coworker mentioned doing a bake sale and donating the money to the family. Then my runner instincts kicked in. What if I ran to raise money?

So I made a plan. For every $5 donated to The Snyder Twins, I'll run 1 mile. If it's more than 20 miles, I'll run it across the first week in January, and if it's over 50 miles, I'll run it in the month of January.

To read more about Jay and the twins, visit http://www.thetigersnest.com/thesnydertwins. You can either comment in this post (anonymously is allowed) with the amount you sent, or send me an email at samantha@pushthroughphilly.com

All money goes directly to the Snyder family, and I will keep all information emailed to me private.

As of Dec 4th, I am running 7 miles.

Checking In

2011-11-30T11:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally have a laptop again (thank you Black Friday), so I guess there are no more excuses for not updating the site!

Recovery after the Brooklyn Marathon has been...slow. Granted it's only been about 10 days and I've only run twice, but those two runs have left me feeling like I am a newbie all over again. I've been trying to give my body two days in between runs and take yoga and generally be kind to myself, while trying to burn off all the delicious calories I ate over the Thanksgiving weekend.

I've noticed that running post marathon(s) has been so enjoyable. I have no real aim or workout. I just run until I'm back where I started, and then I stop. It's been really refreshing to run for the fun of running. This weekend is the semi-seasonal Beer Run which I've been looking forward to for months. I just hope my legs are up to running the 6 mile route!

Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T13:31:00.000-05:00

I love Thanksgiving. Mainly because I love pie, sweet potatoes, and stuffing. (Carbs, carbs and carbs!) And green bean casserole. But I always try and take a few minutes to reflect on all the amazing things that are going on my my life.

The short list of things I am thankful for:

My health. I had a few minor injuries in the beginning of this year that side tracked me, but I am so grateful that I was able to complete two marathons this year injury free. Also, my overall health.
My boyfriend, and amazing friends. They're always there to support me and make me laugh when I need it.
My job. I have one.

So I hope you all have an amazing long weekend surrounded by good food and good company! And feel free to make me jealous and tell me what delicious dishes you're having at your holiday dinner!

The Inaugural Brooklyn Marathon

2011-11-21T10:53:00.001-05:00

This has ben such an emotional weekend for me. I had friends PR and run their first 60k, friends PR both the half and the full at Philly, and one amazing friend that completed Ironman Arizona in under 12 hours.

And then I had an amazing group of friends that were running the Brooklyn Marathon. Before the race started I knew my legs felt fresh, but I had no idea how they would hold up under another 26.2 miles two weeks after NYC. I knew the fatigue would set in early, but wasn't sure how early (my guess was around the halfway point)

I really had a lot of fun this race. I was supported by an amazing group of friends, and I ran into people I hadn't seen in some time. Joe and I had at least 5 friends come out to run with us, and their motivation helped me out so much, words can't even describe.

Maura--The best cheerleader ever!

I have very little to complain about the race (I know, I know) The porta-potty situation seemed to be pretty bleak (aka there really weren't any close to the start) It seemed like there was a delay in their delivery, and the start was pushed back 15 minutes to accommodate it.

The course was no where near as boring as I thought it might be. Again, that might have to do with the fact that I knew at least a dozen people either running it, or volunteering. I ran into a friend I hadn't see in over a year, and we ended up running the first 6 miles or so together. Then we ran into two brothers (one was doing his first marathon) and we ran with them for a while. Then I saw my bad ass ultramarathoner friend Claire cheering. Then I saw Majo at the water station. My friend wanted to pick up the pace a bit on the west side, and I decided to stay with the two brothers. They were running a 4:15 marathon pace and it felt a little fast, but I felt good. Around mile 8 I realized, crap! I hadn't taken a gel!! I walked through the water station, the brothers ran, and I told them to keep going. I was a little bummed about losing them, but I knew there was no way I could eat a gel, drink some water, and keep running.

Shortly later I saw Alex, who was there cheering. It was probably around mile 10, and my legs were already getting fatigued. Shit. I started walking and he walked next to me and reminded me he just had knee surgery, so get moving. Yessir! A few minutes later I saw Robin! I was so happy to see her and have her help me up that hill (time x2 by now, I think) Was starting to struggle mentally a lot but the company really helped keep me moving. About halfway through the loop I think we picked up Scott, who was running his own 20 miler that day. Back up Zoo Hill....3x not so nice. I think about halfway I started to walk, and I felt a gentle tap on my left elbow. An older man in a red singlet told me to get moving! And then he started a little chant "It's not your body....it's just your mind....you can do it...juts swing your arms...You are a beautiful woman, make running as beautiful as you! Not ugly!" And before I knew it, I was up the hill again. Robin, Scott and I all looked at each other in amazement. Who was this guy?? Can we hire him to race with us all the time???

Rounding the corner we caught up with Maura and tried to explain the wonders of the mystery runner to her. Running running running...hill x4 and the halfway mark...running running running...Scott turned around at some point to go find Joe....running running running hill 5x...6x....wait, that's it?? Thank God!! Was definitely so relieved. I think this was the point where Robin left, and I was so appreciative of her running almost HALF the race with me. I promised her I was okay, and I'd finish.

Maura was amazing at keeping me motivated. I'm pretty sure around mile 20 I told her I just wanted to be done. Her and Robin reminded me how amazing I was doing, and how I was so close to a PR at mile 23 that I shouldn't just throw it away. Less than 5k left!!

Coming up to mile 24 we saw Joe walking...realizing he was not having a good race I thought teasing him about not letting me beat him was a good incentive. Maura quickly took over and got Joe up and moving at a good pace, while she strictly told Scott and David "Do NOT let her run anything slower than a 10:00! She has a good chance to PR and she needs to stay around there to do it."

Passed mile 25 and god, that seemed like the longest 1.2 miles of my life. We caught up to Maura/Joe again around there. I think at that point Scott walked with Joe and Maura told me not slow down. I remember feeling exhausted, and on the verge of nauseousness myself if we went any faster. I think I yelled at her "I CAN'T GO ANY FASTER" Ooops. She told me she would run me into the transverse. I told her I wanted to cross the finish line on my own.

So up into the transverse it's myself, Maura, David, and Joe and Scott just a few steps ahead of me. Unfortunately, David tripped on some of the construction that was going on and did a total face plant. Joe and I were immediately ready to stop but the others urged us to go on. Joe had pulled ahead of me and all I thought of was my kick. I closed the gap, but couldn't quite catch him. I ran the last .4 at a 9:07 pace.

I crossed the finish line with about a minute PR, and Joe gave me a giant hug.

This race was really an amazing experience for me. I really enjoyed the intimate feel of the race. I'm sure next year the race will be even bigger, and even better, but I am so proud to be a Brooklynite, and to have run the very first Brooklyn Marathon.

So I guess this makes me a Marathon Maniac and a Half Fanatic, huh?

The Colossal

2011-11-15T11:14:00.001-05:00

So, I have been laptopless for a little over a week, but I knew I needed to update you all on what I did this weekend. In desperate attempt to help cure my PMS (post marathon syndrome), me and four other friends decided we should order a COLOSSAL cupcake. From Crumbs. And devour.

The cupcake comes in it's own little house. You will be mine...oh yes...you will be mine...

Trying to sneak in the first bite! (also, proof that I didn't try and eat this thing by myself)

Did it work? Oh yes. It was delicious. Dare I say it was way better than their regular cupcakes? I think I've created a marathon tradition....

PMS

2011-11-11T10:03:00.001-05:00

PMS, See also: post [pohst] marathon [mar-uh-thon, -thuhn] syndrome [sin-drohm, -druhm]:
Occurs within 24-48 hours of completion of marathon. Subjects will experience extreme mood swings, most often times anxiety, depression, and remorse. Once the onset of the condition has begun, symptoms can last for an additional 72 hours. More severe cases can see a persistance of PMS for up to 2 weeks. Most doctors recommend a treatment of beer (or another spirit of choice), cupcakes, and signing up for another race.

Yup, looks like all the signs are there. I officially have a case of PMS. It hasn't even been one full week since the NYC Marathon, but man, it has been tough! I did a really short spin on Tuesday night to try and loosen up my quads. Some time Wednesday I regained the ability to walk down a flight of stairs, and Thursday night I went out for a beautiful, relaxed run. While it felt great, my quads were definitely very, very sore after 4 miles. Okay, I guess my body is still recovering.

I haven't really imbibed too much (granted, I'm saving it up for Claire's amazing Beer Run on 12/2) but tomorrow I will be celebrating with a giant cupcake and three other friends.

Sign up for another race you say? Well, don't mind if I do. And don't mind me if I happen to sign up for another marathon...the Brooklyn Marathon, on November 20th. I'm not sure if signing up for another marathon will cure my PMS, or if it'll compound it to some crazy sort of super-PMS, but I figure I'm already trained for the distance....why not?

New York City Marathon - The Recap

2011-11-08T10:28:00.002-05:00

I first wanted to run the NYC Marathon in 2009. Born and raised in Brooklyn, I thought it would be the best marathon to compete in. I entered the lottery in 2010, didn't get in, but secured my spot for the 2011 race via the NYRR's 9+1 policy. I realized all of this about 5 minutes after I finished the race, and the thought of a two year journey coming to an end caused me to wrap my Mylar blanket around my face and start crying.

I really don't know where to start with my marathon recap, so I'll start at the end. I finished in 4:30:51, technically this was my "C" goal, which isn't really a fair letter grade for my race. I set a 23 minute PR over my time in the Philadelphia Marathon. I had a really strong race and was on pace for a 4:20 marathon up until mile 16...the Queens Borough Bridge. Whatever left I had in my legs (more specifically my quads) was drained on that bridge, which was kind of a shock since I had run it several times before and thought it wasn't that big, or that bad.

Rewind to the beginning

Had no issues with the train, the ferry, or the bus. (What someone affectionately called the travel triathlon) Everything just seemed to be taking for-ever! Okay, maybe I was just anxious to get started!!

Heading onto the ferry

Brooklyn: You were amazing. I am proud to be from Brooklyn. Truly the best part of the race. The first 7 miles flew by, and I felt like I was just running through a giant party.

I had missed ALL my friends cheering in Brooklyn (mile 6/7/10) and was starting to feel "over it." I told myself I'd never do another marathon. (Um, yeah, right) We came off the Queens Borough Bridge and 1st Ave was SILENT. People were just staring at you. I wanted to cry.

I begged the running gods, PLEASE let me find my friends at 90th and 1st Ave. Please let them be there. I simply couldn't finish the race without seeing them. Luckily, I did see Bojana and Elyssa, and I waved Bojana in to run with me for a bit. I told her I just needed her to talk to me, keep me company. She gave me updates on how everyone was doing, and who had already finished. She kept me moving, and kept motivating me when my legs had already given up.

Finish
Time

5 km

10 km

15 km

20 km

13.1 mi

25 km

30 km

35 km

40 km

Minutes
per Mile

04:30:50

00:30:48

01:01:03

01:32:03

02:03:27

02:10:46

02:36:33

03:08:42

03:42:22

04:16:35

10:21

My slowly slowing 5k splits

Taken around mile 19

The last 10k (and more specifically the last 5k) was the most brutal bit I've ever run in my life. I never experienced the runners high I felt last year at mile 20. I knew I had a large group of friends waiting for me at mile 24, but by the time I got there, I didn't have the energy to be excited to see them. I saw another teammate leaving the park, and I said hello/waved, but again, I gained no boost of energy. I was truly trudging my dead quads up the hill to Columbus Circle. Funny, once we got back in the park I stepped on the gas. I knew I was almost done, and I wanted to be done so badly. My last bit (the Garmin only marked the course as 26.11 which I know isn't right) was at a 9:00 pace.

Around mile 18---looking way happier than I think I was!

Don't even get me started about Brightroom taking photos before you even have a chance to get some water/Gatorade, or the shuffle of death post race.

I'm not sure what got into me mentally during this race. I was excited, but about halfway through I just wasn't into it. I'm kind of mad at myself for checking out so early mentally, but I know my time didn't really reflect that. Towards the end of the race I was actually annoyed by all the spectators. I wanted them to be quiet, so I could just get in my own head and focus a bit.

Thanks Mom!

I'm not sure the marathon is my event. Okay, I know it's not my favorite event. But there is something so special about competing and finishing a marathon, it wouldn't surprise me at all if I signed up for one in 2012, but I have a good feeling it wont be NYC. I feel like I need to redeem myself somehow.

Two days after the race it all seems like a blur--something that happened weeks ago. I can easily say that it was the quickest 4 hour 30 minute run of my life.

Monday's NY Times

Marathon Tip #1

2011-11-05T16:53:00.001-04:00

Woah!

2011-11-04T14:46:00.001-04:00

Well hello there! The blog has been redesigned...something that has been LONG overdue...and what better than a taper week to do it, and to launch it. Please let me know if you experience any issues with anything...I will be working out the kinks---after Sunday that is.

Run happy,
Samantha

Marathon Tip #2

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Marathon Tip #3

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

What am I missing? What are some of your must-haves for marathon day?

Marathon Tip #4 Goals + My own

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

I often find it helps to announce goals to other people, it makes it seem more real and more concrete. It also helps put a *twinge* of pressure on you, though honestly that's the last thing I need!!

D - Anything faster than last years 4:53. Worst case, I still want to beat last years time.

C - 4:30. This time is totally doable. My incredibly hilly, tough 21 miler last weekend was about on pace for this. That would also give me a 20+ minute PR. Wait, and that's only my C goal???

B - 4:20-4:30 This would make me really happy. Very realistic. Possible 30 min PR? Oh yes, I'll take it.

A+ - Sub 4:20. My first 20 miler was amazing, and it set me up for a time around 4:18. According to my half marathon PR set just a few weeks ago, McMillan pegs me at 4:20. It is not a crazy pace for me (9:58) but I know I cannot afford to slow down too much towards the end. I need to force myself to NOT WALK just because I'm tired. Of course I will be tired. But I need to shuffle my little legs towards victory. This is the time I really, really, really, REALLY am striving for.

Marathon Tip #5

2011-10-29T07:30:00.000-04:00

Marathon Tip #6

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

Marathon Tip #7

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

Endure - Run Woman Show

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Early Friday afternoon I got the folowing email from my friend Tracy:

Subj: run woman show

Have you gone? No chance you're willing to go tomorrow morning, is there?

Hmmm. Run Woman Show? I had heard it mentioned on Twitter, but really had no clue what it was about. So I did what anyone in the 21st century would do, I googled it.

Q. How does it work?
A. ENDURE is a performance in motion. The audience is issued an iPod prior to the start of the show. While listening to spoken narrative and original music in their headphones, both audience and performer move through multiple terrains- city streets, public park space and trails. The performance is a mix of physical theatre, contemporary dance and pure running. The audience travels along with the performance and can experience it from any perspective they choose.

Double Hmm. So I'm actually part of the show? Well, I'm not really a big theater person, but I do have to run an easy 4 miles on Saturday...I hemmed and hawed about it so long, that Tracy told me I was going, no matter what.

Pre show...I thought Tracy was going to have coffee waiting for me!

So Saturday morning I got to the Old Stone House and met up with Tracy. We got our Endure "bib" (which I thought was kinda silly) and our iPods. It was pretty funny to have the guy leading us tell us to not touch any buttons on the iPod, and if we needed to change the volume he would do it for us. Totally reminded me of being on a school trip.

We left Old Stone House and headed up towards Prospect Park. I loved the feeling of being on an adventure....there was tons of mystery surrounding this performance piece, so neither Tracy or myself had any idea what to expect. On our walk up to the park we listened to a soundtrack created by Christine Owman, which was amazing. I was pretty skeptical that it was going to be any good, but it is definitely music I'd listen to again. It was neat that she just happened to be in town (from Sweden!) and joined us for this performance.

It's really hard to describe Melanie's performance piece. Endure draws a parallel between marathons and life, how we struggle, power through, and ultimately endure it all. Parts of it I didn't connect with, but I'd say a large part of it did. It was extremely well organized/choreographed/produced. There are parts that made you burst out laughing, and parts that made you uncomfortable and tears well up in your eyes. The ending was quite beautiful and extremely cinematic. I felt like I was inside a movie. Listening to Melanie's words, and Christine's etheral music while running through a grassy patch of Prospect Park with the sun shining down on me was probably my favorite moment of the entire piece. You feel involved, but because you're wearing headphones you almost feel isolated from everyone else (they don't discourage you from talking during the performance, but no one really said more than a word to each other)

I always find the group dynamic of a bunch of strangers interesting. None of us knew what was going on, or what to expect. Kind of like in the actual marathon. We're all in it together, but we each have our own story that brought us to the starting line.

The show is only running until Nov 6th (Marathon weekend!) so I would highly advise you to check it out before then! I definitely think this is perfect taper-time activity, and it'll surely be a reminder to most of us why we spent the past 6 months doing what we've been doing.

Endure from Rachael Harrington on Vimeo.

Marathon Tip #8

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Marathon Tip # 9

2011-10-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

Marathon tip #10

2011-10-21T10:15:00.000-04:00